The Legend Lives On
by mikedi91
Summary: 20 years after Lord Voldemort's demise, a new evil(or is it?) threatens the happines and lives of Harry Potter and his friends.


THE LEGEND LIVES ON  
  
By: Ednalyn Parish  
  
CHAPTER ONE: BIRTHDAY SURPRISE  
  
Sirius Potter woke up very excited. Today is his 11th birthday!!! And unlike his other birthdays, he was looking forward to this one the most. This birthday was going to serve as a reunion of some sort between his parents, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger-Potter, and their best friends. Sirius have known them for a while now, having been best friends with their kids. Ronnie Weasley, Ron Weasley and Susan Bones-Weasley's son, is his bestest friend and "partner in crime". And then there was Allana Longbottom, Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley-Longbottom's daughter, Ronnie's first cousin, was his other best friend, who inherited her uncles' talent of being a very good prankster. Needless to say, they have gotten into their share of troubles and of course, laughs.  
  
Yes, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. They have been dubbed as the "fearsome three" during their seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They, and especially Harry, were the ones responsible to the final demise of the most evil and darkest wizard ever known, Lord Voldemort. Sirius could not be more proud of his parents and Uncle Ron. He loved hearing the stories about how they defeated the dark wizard and all their adventures when they went to Hogwarts. He cannot wait for his turn. He got his official letter from the school just three days ago letting him know that he had been accepted. Harry and Hermione were so proud and happy for Sirius that they decided to have this birthday party/reunion today. And Ronnie and Alanna were going to be with him. He only hoped that they all get sorted into the same house - Gryffindor. The same house as were their parents, with the exception of Ronnie's mom, (she was in Huffelfuff).  
  
Sirius!! Are you awake yet?" his mom called from downstairs.  
  
"Yes, mom!" he replied. "Just gotta go to the john, then I'll be right down."  
  
"Alright sweetie."  
  
"Hey, Sirius!! Don't fall in!" his dad called, laughing.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Aww c'mon, Mione! I was just joshing him," Harry mocked hurt.  
  
"Ha, ha Dad!" Sirius called back.  
  
Sirius went into the bathroom and about had a heart attack when something jumped up to his middle and darn near knocked the wind outta him.  
  
"Dobby!" he cried. "What the heck did you do that for?!"  
  
"Sorry, young master Sirius, sir!" Dobby said, stammering, sinking back. "Dobby was just wanting to great the young master a happy birthday sir. And to give him his present."  
  
"Thank you Dobby." Sirius said, slightly turning red. "You shouldn't have."  
  
He looked at the little house elf who is still kind of scared that he was going to get punished for scaring his master.  
  
Sirius saw this and he felt really bad. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Dobby. It's just that you caught me off guard." Dobby looked up, with tears swelling up in his eyes.  
  
"Master need not apologize to Dobby sir," he said with a smile. "Dobby realizes that Dobby seems to have a ad habit of scaring people without knowing it sir."  
  
"Ain't that the truth!" a voice said.  
  
"Dad!"  
  
"Master Harry!"  
  
Harry Potter was standing by doorway of the bathroom, with his arms crossed on his chest, shoulder leaning against the doorframe, one leg crossed over the other, had come up to see what the commotion was about. He obviously had been watching and listening to his son and the house elf, with a smile on his face of course.  
  
"Sirius, your mom's waiting for you downstairs," Harry told his son, smiling. "You did promise to help her prepare for this party."  
  
"I know Dad, and I will," Sirius said, smiling back to his dad. "But if you two don't mind," now scowling at both Harry and Dobby. "I just woke up, and I really need to go!"  
  
Harry laughed and gave Sirius a hug. "Okay, okay! Don't get your underpants in a twist!" Harry joked as he dodged a mock punch from his son.  
  
"Come on Dobby; let's go help Hermione with breakfast."  
  
"Coming Master Harry." Dobby started to walk towards the door, when he stopped and reluctantly turned back to Sirius, and slowly held out his elfin little hands to the boy. "Happy birthday, Master Sirius," and then a small gold box with silver trimmings and bow magically appeared.  
  
"Wow!" exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"For my favorite master!" Dobby said beaming.  
  
"Hey! I thought I was your favorite!" Harry said pretending to be hurt.  
  
"Y-yes sir. Of course you are sir!! I just meant...," shrieked Dobby and without warning, he started to slam his head against the wall.  
  
"Stop Dobby!" Harry and Sirius both yelled.  
  
"I was just joking Dobby!" Harry yelled over Sirius and Dobby shrieking and the sound of Dobby's head hitting the wall.  
  
However, Dobby was really getting into it. He only stopped when....  
  
"Just what is going on here?" came a very excited, if not the least bemused voice.  
  
"Hi honey," said Harry meekly not wanting to look up.  
  
"Harry James Potter!" started Hermione. "Why is Dobby banging his head on the wall?"  
  
"And what is that box Sirius?" in the same voice. A voice with a tone that said, "You better have a good answer or else."  
  
"Umm, hiya mum. Dobby gave me a present!" Sirius replied with a big grin on his face, and a look that said, "I hope I don't get my hide chewed off before I'd had the chance to go pee!"  
  
"It's my fault honey," Harry said, getting up, now that Dobby stopped hurting himself. "I guess I'd just forgotten how sensitive Dobby is."  
  
"What in blazes did you say, or do for that matter, to poor Dobby?" Hermione asked, left eyebrow raised.  
  
"Sorry miss, it's not Master Harry's fault," Dobby said before Harry could reply. "Just Dobby forgetting that he serves a better family now."  
  
"Oh Dobby, no need to cover up for this big galoot of a man here!" said Hermione, feeling sorry for the house elf. "Why don't we let Sirius open his present from you okay?"  
  
With this Dobby's face lit up and looked longingly to Sirius. Sirius let out a small whoop and sat on the floor and gingerly started taking off the wrappings off the box. When he pulled out the content of the box, his eyes started to swell.  
  
"It's a Scarf!" he said gleefully.  
  
The scarf was made out of scarlet and gold wool, with white fringes in the end. It said Sirius' name on one end, and the Gryffindor crest on the other.  
  
"Dobby this is great!" exclaimed Sirius. He then stood up and gave the surprised elf a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you!"  
  
"Oh it was nothing, sir" said Dobby, obviously embarrassed, but glad nonetheless.  
  
"That's very beautiful, Dobby!" beamed Hermione.  
  
"Yeah, excellent Dobby!" said Harry with a twinkle in his eyes. He fondly remembers the Christmas and birthday presents Dobby have given and still gives him. He now have a very vast collection of homemade Dobby socks.  
  
"Dobby, would you mind helping me with breakfast?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Not all ma'am,' Dobby answered. "You shouldn't even have to ask. I'll meet you downstairs masters and mistress." With a bow and smile, Dobby left.  
  
"Now you two, hurry along. We still have a lot to do, you know." Hermione rounded on the two men of her life. "The Weasleys will be here soon."  
  
"Okay Mione, let's go." Harry said putting an arm around her waist and giving her a quick kiss on the lips.  
  
"Sirius, better hurry. You don't want Ronnie seeing you still in your night clothes or he'll be tormenting until you have your own kids!" Harry said to his son, winking at him.  
  
"Well, I would've been done already if wasn't for some untimely interruptions!" Sirius said, crossing his arms on his chest. "Now may I please have a bit of privacy, before I really humiliate myself?" he said with more of urgency.  
  
Harry and Hermione laughed and then giving Sirius hugs and kisses left him to do his "private" things.  
  
"Honestly Harry, Sirius is growing up to be more and more like you!" Hermione said once they reached their massive kitchen.  
  
"What, you mean devilishly handsome and brave?" Harry asked, with amusement and a grin that still melts Hermione's heart.  
  
"No. I mean ornery and easily scared by an intimidating woman," she said, mockingly.  
  
"Excuse me?" Harry asked, wide-eyed. "And just who might be the ornery and intimidating woman?" He ducked just in time just as Hermione chucked a roll towards his face.  
  
They were still laughing when something crashed into their kitchen window.  
  
Sirius stopped buttoning up his shirt for a moment to look at himself at the mirror. He was a skinny boy, who inherited his father's forever and permanently untidy hair and emerald green eyes, along with that very charming smile that could melt an iceberg. He does not wear glasses like his dad used to when Harry was growing up (he had switched to contacts). Sirius has perfect vision, just like his mother from whom he inherited his great intellect and great fondness and love for reading. So much so that he's practically read half of the books in their vast library, that his dad, Harry, had set up for Hermione as their first wedding anniversary gift. Sirius shook and laughed. "I am the luckiest boy alive!" he told his reflection, who smiled back at him. And with that, he finished getting dressed and headed toward his door to go join his parents for breakfast.  
  
"What was that?" Hermione asked Harry, with a hint of fear in her voice.  
  
"I don't know, but I'll go check it out," answered Harry. Hermione nodded her head in reply.  
  
Harry walked over to the window above the kitchen sink and undid the latch to open it outward. He looked out to see what had hit the window. He looked up, left and right, but saw nothing. But, just as he was about to stick his head back in, he looked down on the ground to see a mass of unruly feathers that were sticking up every which way.  
  
"Errol?' Harry half exclaimed, half asked.  
  
"Errol? You mean Arthur and Molly Weasley's old owl, Errol?" Hermione asked, very surprised. Just then, the owl who was very dizzy from the crash and tired from the trip, flew into the open window, only to land head first into the sink. To normal people this would have been a very funny sight. However, the look on Harry and Hermione's faces are not of amusement, but more of concern. Errol has been the Weasleys' owl from as far back as they can remember. Harry and Hermione are quite astonished that Errol is still able to fly and deliver posts, much less alive!  
  
"Harry get him out of there, quickly," Hermione said. "Put him on the counter." Harry picked up Errol and tried to straighten out his feathers, while Hermione got a bowl of water and some bacon bits. She set them down on the counter, and as soon as Harry reached the counter, Errol dived into the bowl and pecked hungrily at the bacon bits. Harry and Hermione just looked at each other, shaking their heads at the same time, smiling.  
  
"Poor Errol," Hermione sighed. Just then, she finally noticed the piece of parchment tied to one of its legs. She untied the parchment, unrolled it and started to read the letter out loud.  
  
Dear Harry, Hermione, and Sirius,  
  
Hello dears! Just a note to let you know that we have decided to just Apparate to your house from here. Therefore, we will be arriving around 10 a.m. Saturday, instead of 3 p.m. We felt that this would be the easier way for us to get there instead of Floo powder. You know that we are a bit too old to be spun and twisted around like that! So since we'll be there earlier, we could help out in the preparations for the party and we can also spend some time with our grandson, the birthday boy. See you soon!  
  
With love,  
  
Arthur and Molly  
  
"Alright! Grandpa and Grandma will be here in a half an hour!" exclaimed a very happy and excited Sirius, which gave Harry and Hermione quite a start since they did not hear him come in to the kitchen.  
  
Harry could not help but smile at his son who was wearing the biggest grin on his face. Arthur and Molly Weasley were Ron and Ginny's parents, not Harry's. But, since Harry's first year at Hogwarts, he's become very close to them. And, since he grew up not knowing his own parents, he have sort of "adopted" the Weasleys as his family. The feelings were mutual, of course. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have considered Harry as one of their own children, and still do. That was why Sirius had grown up calling them his grandparents.  
  
"SIRIUS WOLFGANG POTTER! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" yelled Hermione, but with a big smile on her face.  
  
"Sorry, mum! Just got a bit excited," said Sirius. "It's just that I've missed them so much! I haven't seen them since...since..."  
  
"Since July 31st, which was only three weeks ago," Harry finished for him, laughing.  
  
"Well it seemed like ages ago!"  
  
"Well you'd best eat your breakfast son," Hermione said. "It's not very good cold is it?"  
  
"Okay mum." Sirius walked over to the corner breakfast nook and slid down towards the middle. Harry and Hermione followed suit and slid in on either side of him.  
  
"Where's Dobby?" Sirius asked, looking around. "Is he not having breakfast with us?"  
  
"Oh he'll be along shortly dear," Hermione answered. She looked lovingly at her son. "Just like his father, always thinking of others first," she thought to herself. "He really cares for Dobby, and Dobby cares for him. And why shouldn't they? Dobby has helped take care of him since he was born. And nobody what anybody says, Dobby IS and always will be a member of this family."  
  
Hermione was shaken out of her reverie when she heard Harry calling her name. "What? Oh..." she stammered.  
  
"I said are you alright?" Harry asked, very concerned.  
  
"Yeah, mum, you seemed so out of it just now," Sirius added.  
  
"Oh you two stop fussing! I'm fine!" she scolded them.  
  
Just then, as if on cue, Dobby walked into the kitchen. He was wearing a very cute and colorful outfit that Hermione had made for him last Christmas. Dobby, being an elf, looked almost like a little Muggle child. Well of course, besides the fact that he's got a long pointy nose, eyes the size of tennis balls, and ears that look like bat wings. He was wearing a very cute checkered, long-sleeved pullover shirt and really small pants. Harry had magicked him some shoes that came out matching his clothes. Dobby looked pretty snappy for a house-elf. Dobby walked under the table and climbed onto the seat next to Sirius, where he always sat and joined the family to finally have their breakfast. Halfway through their food, Harry looked at Dobby and asked him a question.  
  
"Dobby, why do you insist on calling us 'masters and mistress'?  
  
Dobby looked up and shyly answered, "Dobby has been saying 'masters and mistress' all his life sir."  
  
"Yeah but Dobby, you're with us now! You're a member of our family!" Hermione interjected, smiling. "You have been for 20 years now!"  
  
Dobby looked at his family, with teary eyes, smiling but not knowing what to say. They have told him over and over again to call them by their first names.  
  
"And Dobby, you are like a brother to me!" Sirius said, very proudly. And that's what all it took. Dobby jumped up and gave Sirius a very tight hug around the neck and started crying. Sirius started crying also.  
  
"I love you Dobby!" He said, hugging the little elf back.  
  
"And Dobby loves you too, Master Sirius!" Then he gasped, "Ooops! I mean Sirius!"  
  
With that they all started laughing. The rest of the meal was very happy. They were still laughing and talking when they heard two POPS right outside the kitchen door.  
  
"They're here!" shouted Sirius. He got up from his seat, stepped over a shocked Harry, and ran out towards the living room. Harry, Hermione, and Dobby were laughing at this when they heard Sirius scream...  
  
Harry and Hermione, wands out, burst through the door, followed by a very scared Dobby. What they saw shocked them. Sirius is floating in mid air in what looked like a giant glowing bubble. Two cloaked and hooded figures were pointing their wands at him and seemed to be concentrating on a spell.  
  
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry and Hermione shouted at the time. Their spell caught the two figures off guard. Their wands flew out of their hands and were caught by Dobby, as they got slammed, unconscious into the wall.  
  
"FINITE INCANTATEM!" Hermione said, pointing a very shaky hand at the bubble holding her son. A flash of starry white light came out of her wand and made the bubble disappear. Harry had barely caught Sirius before he landed on the hardwood floor. Dobby in the meantime had conjured up some ropes to tie up the intruders, along with some gags around their mouths, using his own elfish magic. Hermione ran up to her son and gave him a bone- crushing hug, with tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
"Oh Sirius! Are you alright?" she asked him.  
  
"Just a bit shaken Mum," Sirius said shakily. He let go of her and walked over to the two still unconscious, bound, and gagged figures against the wall.  
  
"Who do you reckon they are dad?" he asked. Harry looking furious did not answer.  
  
"We'll ask them when they come to," he said through gritted teeth. Just then, they heard two more POPS behind them. They turned, wands out, to see two very shocked red headed elderly couple.  
  
CHAPTER TWO: THE CHILDREN OF THE ABYSS  
  
The Potters, Weasleys and Dobby sat in the living room drinking some tea, while they wait for the two uninvited "guests" to come to.  
  
"Harry, you don't suppose that they are Death eaters, do you?" Hermione asked, finally breaking the silence.  
  
"No, Mione, they are not" Harry answered. "I checked their arms, and there is no sign of the Dark Mark anywhere."  
  
"But the Death eaters have all been either caught and imprisoned or died when you defeated Voldemort!" Mrs. Weasley pointed out.  
  
"Right Molly, dear," Arthur Weasley said. "Right you are."  
  
"But then who are they?" Sirius asked, perplexed. Just then, they heard two muffled moans .  
  
"Well, they seem to be waking up," Harry said. "Let's go find out shall we?"  
  
The group walked over to the intruders with wands at the ready. Sirius, being still underage, and not yet have a wand, was behind the four adults. Dobby, who has been standing guard over the two captives, stepped back, after removing their gags. Harry, upon reaching them, bent down and pushed back their hoods. They are both males, who seem to be about in their late 20's, with platinum blond hair, and pale faces. And, once they opened up their eyes, he saw that they have black eyes. Harry was taken aback by this. The two men looked up, blinking their eyes, squinting up at Harry, as if trying to focus on to him.  
  
"WHO ARE YOU? AND WHY DID YOU ATTACK MY SON?!" Harry bellowed, making the men jump.  
  
"Harry calm down," Hermione said. "You are not going to get any answers by biting their heads off!" Harry just glared at the two men, who sunk back against the wall, terrified.  
  
"DAD!" Sirius shrieked.  
  
"Oh my!" gasped Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Harry had been so furious, that he did not even realize that he has started to glow. He looked like he was engulfed in flames, and his eyes had turned from their brilliant emerald green to a menacing silver. No wonder the two men are cowering back, with terrified looks on their faces.  
  
The last time Harry had glowed like this, was twenty years ago. The Death eaters had captured his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and were torturing them to the brink of death. Harry was so angry with the Deatheaters, scared for his friends, and loathed Voldermort with a passion. All these emotions all rolled up into one very powerful feeling. The red, yellow, orange and white light surrounded him out of nowhere and gave him an immense courage that he did not know he possessed.  
  
"INFINDE STRACTUM!" a spell that he did not even know that he knew, came out of his mouth. This spell, which was just supposed to knock someone off their feet, had, with all the emotions that Harry was feeling, came out more powerful. Not only were the Death eaters knocked off their feet, their wands were expelled from their hands, shattering in mid-air. They were all blown away from Ron and Hermione, and landed on the ground, dead.  
  
But, not this time. Harry was calm. The only emotion running through his veins was fury. Nevertheless, the way he looked and the way the light surrounded him, he looked like he can snap these two intruders in half by just snapping his fingers. Hermione, afraid of what would happen, as she remembers that certain incident all too well, nervously approached her husband.  
  
"Harry?" she called. "Harry, it's okay, honey. They are not going to do anything."  
  
"Dad, please. I love you!" Sirius said, choking back tears.  
  
Upon hearing his wife and son pleading, Harry eased up. The flaming light faded, but he still had fury in his eyes. Even with the light gone, Harry's eyes are still silver.  
  
"Now then," Arthur Weasley spoke up. "I suggest you to start talking before my son here lose his temper again! And believe you me, you don't want that to happen!" he said with complete seriousness in his voice. The two men just nodded meekly, not wanting to look at Harry.  
  
And just as one of them was about to say something, a flash of light engulfed the room, the Potters, Weasleys and Dobby look away, arms crossed over their eyes to shield them from the bright light. They heard the men let out blood curdling screams.  
  
And just as it appeared, the light vanished. When they turned to look back at the captives, Hermione let a shriek. Right where the two men have been sitting, their robes lay in a crumpled heap, not entirely covering what looked for certain to be ashes on the floor. Something, or someone, had killed those two men to stop them from talking. Harry walked over to the pile of ashes. As he was about to touch one of the crumpled robes, they heard a very sinister laugh and ice-cold voice, that said "SIRIUS POTTER WILL BECOME A CHILD OF THE ABYSS!" and then ... silence.  
  
The family decided to wait until after the party before they tell anybody about this morning's unexpected events. Today is, Sirius' 11th birthday after all. All that were invited will be staying at the Potter Mansion for the remainder of the summer. The situation will be, and everyone agreed, discussed after everyone's gotten a good time. They don't want the day's nightmare taint the rest of Sirius' day.  
  
So for the next few hours, the group set out to finish preparing for the party. Hermione, Mrs. Weasley and Dobby retreated back to the kitchen to finish cooking the meals. Mrs. Weasley is an excellent cook. Hermione can cook, but she's keen into taking leaves out of Mrs. Weasley's book when she wants to do better than normal.  
  
Harry, Mr. Weasley and Sirius were out in the back garden setting up. Mr. Weasley magicked the Potters' ordinary Muggle patio set into one big, elegant banquet table that can easily seat about fifty people. Then he put a charm on it to expand for extra unexpected, but welcomed guests. Harry conjured up a giant canopy to cover the table. Then he bewitched the ceiling to change in to a bright starry night, complete with constellations and shooting stars, when the sun goes down. Harry smiled. He purposely left out the moon. His very old friend, Remus Lupin, is a bit sensitive about it, for he is a werewolf.  
  
Sirius just sat back and watched his father and grandpa perform magic. But even though he is hiding it well, he cannot get that mysterious voice's message. "What did it mean, 'A child of the ABYSS'? What's the ABYSS?" He made a mental note to check the library as soon as possible.  
  
Sirius shook himself from those thoughts, and tried to be happy. "It's my birthday!" he said to himself. "All the family and friends that I love will be here to celebrate with me!" With a smile, he laid down on the grass, putting his hands under his head, using them as some sort of pillow. He closed his eyes, and just laid there, soaking up the warmth of the weather. He was almost asleep, when something big and hairy landed on him, and he felt something wet glide his face.  
  
"Gerroffme!" he tried to yell. "DAD! GRANDPA! HELP!"  
  
Harry and Mr. Weasley ran over to Sirius with their wands out, fear and anger on their faces.  
  
"It better not be them again!" Harry muttered angrily, while running to rescue his son.  
  
When they got up to where Sirius is at, they stopped in their tracks, and bursted out laughing at the sight of Sirius still struggling to get free from whatever is attacking him.  
  
"What the heck are you two laughing at?" he yelled. "Come help me!"  
  
"Get off me!" and one big push he managed to get the thing off him. Sirius tried to get up and looked at where the laughter was coming from. Harry and Mr. Weasley were both on the ground doubled up laughing and pointing at him and his attacker. He turned his face to look and met two black eyes and a wet nose.  
  
His fear must have been evident on his face, because to his surprise, the dog started to lick him, again.  
  
"EWWW!" Sirius said, and started to laugh, in spite of himself.  
  
"I guess you're not in a very imminent danger son," Harry said. Sirius looked up to his father who still had a big grin on his face, which was also flushed from laughing so hard. Mr. Weasley was next to him with his hand on his side, and trying to stifle a laugh.  
  
"Dad! You got me a pet"  
  
"Er, no, Sirius," Harry said, still laughing. "That's not exactly a 'pet'."  
  
"Then where did this dog come from?" Sirius asked, puzzled.  
  
"Sirius, meet my godfather, and your namesake," Harry replied, with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Huh?" Sirius said, now very confused. He looked at the dog once again. It gave him one last lick in the face and stepped back. And, to Sirius' shock and bewilderment, the dog transformed into a man.  
  
"Whoa!" was all he could say.  
  
"Hiya Sirius Wolfgang Potter!" the man said. "I am Sirius Black, you're father's godfather."  
  
"Wha...? How? Huh?!" Sirius stuttered.  
  
Harry, Sirius, and Mr. Weasley started laughing again.  
  
"Your Uncle Sirius is an 'Animagus', Sirius," Harry told him, smiling.  
  
"Wow!" Sirius exclaimed. "Can you teach me how to do that?"  
  
The men started to laugh again.  
  
"In due time, Sirius," Sirius told the boy, with a smile that reached his eyes. "In due time."  
  
"Sirius Black!" a voice called.  
  
They all turned to look at the location of that voice. Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were both walking over towards the group.  
  
"Hermione! Mrs. Weasley!" Sirius called back, meeting them halfway. When they all met, Sirius gave each woman a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Oh, Sirius! I've told you to just call me 'Molly'," Mrs. Weasley said to him as they hugged.  
  
"Alright. How are you doing Molly?" Sirius asked. "Long time no see."  
  
"I'm doing just fine dear, just fine," Molly answered, smiling at him.  
  
"And, Hermione!" Sirius said, eyes twinkling. "You look smashing as always!" He gave her a hug, a little bit longer than he has to.  
  
"Thank you Sirius," Hermione said, beaming. "You don't look too bad yourself."  
  
"Okay, Okay! Break it up! That's my wife!" Harry said with mock jealousy, but smiling.  
  
"I was wondering when you're going to say something!" Sirius said, laughing.  
  
"i don't know. I kinda liked it!" Hermione said, winking at Sirius.  
  
"Hey!" Harry said, pretending to be hurt, but joined the laughter with everyone.  
  
They all went back into the house in high spirits. Little Sirius, still in awe that his "uncle" Sirius can transform himself into a dog, was bombarding him with questions.  
  
"What do you have to do to learn that?"  
  
"Do they teach that at Hogwarts?"  
  
"Can you teach me?"  
  
"Whoa son!" Sirius said, laughing. "It's not that easy to be an Animagus. It takes years to learn and perfect it!"  
  
"Oh!" said little Sirius, a little dejected. Then he turned to Harry. "Are you an Animagus Dad?"  
  
"Yeah, actually I am," Harry said, smiling.  
  
"Your father can turn into two animals, Sirius," Hermione said, very proudly. "A lion and a phoenix bird."  
  
"Really?" asked Sirius, wide-eyed.  
  
"Yep! And the only known wizard alive, or dead, that can do that!" Sirius Black proclaimed, with as much pride as Hermione.  
  
'Well believe me Sirius, dear," Molly added. "He is the best Animagus there is!"  
  
"Along with being the most powerful!" Arthur Weasley chimed in.  
  
Harry blushed from all the praises that he's getting from his family.  
  
"Gosh Dad!" exclaimed Sirius. "You're the coolest!" Everyone laughed.  
  
"Can you show me?" Sirius asked his father, excitedly. "Man! I can't wait to tell Ronnie and Alanna!"  
  
"Well why don't I show you guys together later?" Harry said, smiling.  
  
"Really? Cool!" Sirius said, running up to his dad and putting him into a bear hug. "I love you Dad!"  
  
"I love you too, Sirius!" Harry said, hugging his son back.  
  
Just then, they heard the fireplace start crackling.  
  
They all turned to look at the green flame that appeared and then heard a series of 'BOOMS!' Ronnie Weasley appeared, followed by his mother, Susan, and then his dad, Ron.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Ron called out. "Where's the birthday boy?" Sirius ran up to him and gave him a hug.  
  
"Hiya, Uncle Ron!" Then he turned to Susan. "Hello, Aunt Sue!" And, finally, "Yo, Ronnie!" They both ran up to each other, and made a little jump, bumped each other on their bellies, and hugged. The adults laughed at the two best friends.  
  
"Hey Ron, we never did anything like that when we their age!" Harry said.  
  
"No, we just shook hands," Ron said, shaking his head. "Kids now a days!"  
  
Just then, the fireplace started to crackle again. This time, the people that appeared were the Longbottoms, Neville, Ginny, and Alanna.  
  
"Uncle Neville! Aunt Ginny!" Sirius called, giving them hugs.  
  
"Hey Sirius!" Neville said. And ruffling Sirius' already messy hair, added "My, you look just like your dad when I first met him!"  
  
"Hi gorgeous!" Ginny said. "Happy birthday!"  
  
"Happy birthday, buddy!" Alanna said, extending her hand to Sirius, with a mischievous smile. Sirius, a little puzzled, shrugged his shoulders and went to shake her hand.  
  
"BUZZ!"  
  
"OWWW!" Sirius yelped, jumping back, holding his hand, smoking from the contact and his hair standing on end from the shock. "What in blazes was that?"  
  
Alanna doubled up laughing. "It's just a little buzzer, Sirius," holding up her hands. She's holding a little gadget about the size of a strawberry. "When I went to Muggle London the other day with Uncles Fred and George, we went to a local joke shop and I saw this. They tried it and thought it was hilarious!! I begged them to get it for me. And when we got home we put a charm on it so it'll work in the wizarding world."  
  
"ALANNA MINERVA LONGBOTTOM!" shrieked Ginny. Her face was turning as red as her hair. "What were you thinking? Oooh, when I get a hold of those two Wheezys!" Alanna put the gadget away, afraid her mom would hex her, if she didn't.  
  
"Sorry mum," she said meekly.  
  
"Oh you will be!"  
  
"Oh lighten up Ginny! It was just a joke," Neville smiled at his daughter. But the smile faded, when she saw Ginny's face.  
  
"Do not encourage her Neville!"  
  
Just then they heard some popping noises coming from the other end of the room.  
  
Harry turned, wand in hand, with a determined look on his face. When he saw who just appeared in his house, he let out a relieved sigh.  
  
"Happy birthday, Sirius!" the newcomers shouted in unison. There stood Fred and George, the Weasley twins, and their wives, Parvati and Padma, who incidentally, like their husbands, were twins.  
  
"Hi guys!" Sirius said, running up and giving each a hug. A series of "hi's" and "hello's" and "how are you doing?" went on for a couple of minutes. However, when Fred and George saw Ginny, they kinda stepped back.  
  
"Uh, hiya, little sister!" George said.  
  
"Um, why the sour look, Ginny?" Fred asked.  
  
"Fred and George Weasley," Ginny said, through gritted teeth. "We'll talk later." And with that, she turned to her sisters-in-law. "Hi girls!"  
  
"Hi Ginny! Lovely to see you again," Parvati said, hugging her.  
  
"Hey, Gins!" Padma said, hugging her too. Then with a loud whisper, "Go get 'em girl!" Fred and George, who obviously, along with everybody else, heard, looked at each other nervously.  
  
"Uh-oh!" they both said at the same time.  
  
"Should we run for it, Fred?" George asked his twin.  
  
"I don't think we can Disapparate fast enough, George!" Fred said. Everyone laughed, well except for Ginny.  
  
"No you can't!" Arthur Weasley said, matter-of-factly. "You two know that your sister is very good at cursing people. If you two don't watch it, she'll hex you into kingdom come!"  
  
Everyone agreed with Arthur, but all tried not to laugh at the twins who looked very terrified, of their little sister, no less.  
  
"Sorry Ginny!" Fred and George said at the same time, not looking at her.  
  
"You know, if it wasn't that today is Sirius' birthday, I would have given you the worst possible hexes I could muster," Ginny said very seriously. "But beings we are all going to be here for the remainder of the summer I suggest you two BEHAVE!!"  
  
Fred and George nodded. They know all too well that Ginny meant business. They found out about it in her third year and their last, at Hogwarts.  
  
They had replaced her shampoo with their own brand of "hair care." The "shampoo" made Ginny's hair stand on end and shout out nasty remarks to anyone who made a comment on it. It had caused 75 points to be taken from Gryffindor House when Ginny's hair told off Professor Severus Snape, then the Potions Master that he 'is an ugly humanoid troll with hair so greasy, it could fuel a Muggle's automobile!' and had given Ginny a two-week detention. Ginny was so furious with her brothers, that she vowed to get revenge on them for what they did to her. She worked on a curse for a month. The spell had attached them both at the hip and stayed that way for a long while. They had a hard time of it too, as they had to do everything together. They had to make a special bathroom and toilet for the twins. Everyone in the school thought it was very funny, but they never pulled another prank again...well on Ginny, anyway.  
  
"Well serves you two right!" Parvati spoke up.  
  
"Ginny believe me, those two got their ears told off by us when we found out about it!" Padma added. "We would have told you, but they begged us not to and promised they won't do it again."  
  
"And we figured that you would definitely punish them when you find out." Parvati said, giving their husbands a look that said 'We told you so!'  
  
"Oh boy, are they going to get it!" Ron said, shuddering. "You two should've known better!"  
  
"Wouldn't wanna be in your shoes!" Neville said, stammering.  
  
Just then, they heard another series of 'POPS!'  
  
Sirius Black noticed that Harry had tensed up again and grabbing for his wand. "Something is up," he thought to himself. "I'll ask him later."  
  
The new visitors were Fleur Delacour-Krum, and her husband, Viktor. Everyone greeted the new arrivals and after a few minutes of small talk, Dobby emerged from the kitchen and announced that the feast is ready.  
  
"Alright!" Sirius and Ronnie shouted together, giving each other a high five.  
  
"Just like their fathers!" Hermione, Ginny and Susan said at the same time.  
  
"Hey!" Harry and Ron cried out together. They looked at each other and started laughing.  
  
"I reckon they're right, mate," Ron said to Harry.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked him, eyebrows raised. "YOU can eat like a horse!"  
  
Everyone agreed and laughed again. As they were about to go out to the garden, Sirius stopped.  
  
"Wait!" he cried. "Where are Uncle Draco and Serena?"  
  
"Oh my gosh!" gasped Hermione. "I almost forgot about them!"  
  
"I wonder where they are?" Harry asked, puzzled. "One thing about Malfoy, he's always punctual."  
  
"Maybe just running late," Ron chimed in. "Serena is a girl, you know?"  
  
"Well maybe we should check it out," Sirius Black put in.  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Harry said. "I'll go to the fireplace now."  
  
Harry went over to the fireplace and grabbed some white powder in a pewter next to it. He threw it into the flames, and waited for the color to change to white. When it did, he bent down and spoke, "Draco? Serena? It's Harry. Are you there?" He waited, but there's no response.  
  
"That's odd. Seems nobody's home," Harry said after a minute. He stood up and faced the others. "I'm going over there. It's not like Draco to not send an owl if he's not coming."  
  
"You're right, Harry," Ron said. "I'll go with you."  
  
"Me too," Padfoot said. "I have a bad feeling about this."  
  
"Alright, everyone. We'll be right back," Harry said. With that, the three Disapparated.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Padfoot appeared inside the Malfoys' living room. What they saw made them gasp. The room was all torn up, evident of curses thrown.  
  
"What the heck?" Ron said. "Something bad happened."  
  
"We'd better split up and check out the whole house. Anyone find anybody or anything, give a holler." Harry said.  
  
They all took their wands out. But, just as they stepped into the parlor, they heard a muffled moan. Draco, bleeding from his forehead, is lying on the foot of the stairs. They ran up to him.  
  
"Draco!" Harry called out. "Draco, can you hear me?"  
  
"What happened, Draco?" Ron asked.  
  
"Why don't we pick him up first guys?" Padfoot said. They helped the beaten Draco to his feet and walked him over to the living room. Ron using his wand turned the sofa back up the right way. They helped Draco to it.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" Draco asked the trio, holding his head.  
  
"What happened, Draco?" Padfoot asked.  
  
"Serena!" Draco suddenly shouted, making them jump. "We've got to help her!"  
  
"Whoa, Draco, take it easy!" Harry said, trying to keep him down. "Tell us what happened here."  
  
"They got her," Draco said, tears starting to swell in his eyes. "I couldn't stop them! Too many!"  
  
"Who got her?" Ron asked, getting very alarmed.  
  
"The Praetorians!"  
  
"The who?" asked Harry and Ron at the same time.  
  
"They are making her a 'Child of the ABYSS'!"  
  
"WHAT?" Harry yelled. "They came for her too?"  
  
"What do you mean, "too" Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
"They attacked Sirius this morning."  
  
"What? Why didn't you say so Harry?" Padfoot exclaimed.  
  
"Well, how come he's still at home?" Ron asked again.  
  
"We fought them off, Hermione and I," Harry answered. "But before they could tell us anything, this white light came, and when it disappeared, the men who attacked had been burned to ashes." Harry sat down, next to Draco. "Then a voice said that Sirius will be a 'Child of the ABYSS'."  
  
"Let's get back to your house, Harry," Padfoot said. "Draco, you strong enough to Apparate?"  
  
Draco nodded. He looked at Harry, stunned by what he just said. "Will you help me get my daughter back?"  
  
"Of course I will," Harry said to Draco. "Come on, let's go. Hermione can fix you up."  
  
They all stood up and Disapparated.  
  
When they all appeared back at the Potter mansion, everyone was shocked to see Draco hurt. The men took turns telling everyone what had happened.  
  
"Harry why didn't you tell us about this right away?" scolded Mr. Weasley.  
  
"This is a very serious matter," added Mrs. Weasley. "Hermione, you should've have told me!"  
  
"We were going to tell you," Hermione said. "We were just going to wait tonight."  
  
"I knew something was up when I saw Harry grab his wand when the twins arrived earlier," Padfoot said. "We need to plan out how we are going to save Serena."  
  
"Hold on!" Harry said, getting irritated. "You know about these 'Praetorians'?"  
  
"Yes, I do," Padfoot said. "They are bad news."  
  
"Who are they? What are they? And what do they want with our children?" Harry shouted. But, before Padfoot answered, they heard another series of Pops in the living room. This time however, Harry wasn't the only one who drew out his wand.  
  
"Wat y'all playin' at?" Rubeus Hagrid said, very surprised to the unexpected welcome. The new arrivals: Rubeus, his wife Olympie, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and Remus Lupin, all have the same shocked expressions.  
  
"Oh god!" Hermione cracked. "I can't take much more of this!"  
  
"What is going on here?" barked Snape.  
  
"The Praetorians," was all Padfoot said.  
  
The newcomers all gasped. They all looked at Harry and Draco.  
  
"What happened?" Snape asked, very concerned.  
  
"They attacked me at my house and took Serena!" Draco said, tears now falling on his cheeks.  
  
"And they attacked us this morning and tried to take Sirius!" Hermione added, crying also. Ginny went to her and put a consoling arm around her friend.  
  
"Oh no!" gasped McGonagall. "Not now."  
  
"Would somebody PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THESE PRAETORIANS ARE!" Harry shouted, obvious impatience in his voice.  
  
"Calm down Harry!" Dumbledore said, looking at him very sternly. "Why don't you all tell us again what exactly happened."  
  
Draco and Harry took turns on telling their accounts of the events from this morning.  
  
"We went to Draco's house when he didn't answer me at the fireplace," Harry said. "Draco, you know these Praetorians?"  
  
"No, this was the first time I've ever heard of them," Draco answered. "I heard them say their name before they left with Serena."  
  
"Dumbledore, quit beating around the bush and just tell us who they are!" Harry turned to the old wizard.  
  
"And the sooner the better!" added Draco. "I want to rescue my daughter!"  
  
"Guys!" called Remus. "You are not going to get anything by attacking anyone of us like that!"  
  
"Sorry Moony," Harry said. "But we want to know about them and this ABYSS thing. And why they want our children."  
  
Padfoot walked over to Dumbledore and Remus. "They need to know."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Sit down, Harry and we'll tell you all about them."  
  
Dumbledore sighed as he looked at the eager faces of the younger wizards and witches with their children.  
  
"You all have heard in Muggle history about a Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar?" he asked. Only Hermione and Harry nodded their heads, beings they're the only ones who actually went to Muggle schools before they attended Hogwarts.  
  
"He set out to conquer the world," Hermione answered, while Harry nodded his headed.  
  
"Well, the Praetorians are his Royal Guards. Well, in the wizard world, there was a group of warlocks and witches that based their regime with this history. The leader of this group was so fascinated by this certain history and was hell bent on conquering the world, Muggle or wizard, that he named his circle the Praetorians. They have been around way before Voldemort ever entered the picture. As a matter of fact, he was a Praetorian."  
  
This came as a shock to everyone. The older group knew about the Praetorians, but not about Voldemort being one.  
  
CHAPTER THREE: STARTLING REVELATIONS  
  
"Voldemort is dead," Draco said. "Why are they coming out now?"  
  
"Yes, he is dead," Dumbledore said. "But you see, the leader of the Praetorians had entrusted Voldemort to conquer the wizarding world for him as his proof of loyalty. If Voldemort had been successful, he would have been the new head of the Praetorians. Thus meaning, the old leader Lord Caesar, would have transferred all of his powers to Voldemort and enable him to be invincible and untouchable."  
  
"You mean no one would have been able to defeat Voldemort?" asked Harry, wide-eyed.  
  
"Yes Harry," Dumbledore answered. "But you see, he didn't conquer the wizarding world, because he ran into you."  
  
"I still don't get it," Harry said, perplexed.  
  
"You were the Heir of Godric Gryffindor, Harry," Dumbledore said. "And he was the Heir of Lord Caesar's archenemy, Merlin."  
  
"What?" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Lord Caesar had the hardest time doing what he set out to do because of Merlin. You see, Harry, Lord Caesar was a Dark Wizard. And they are limited with what they can really do magically, although all dark wizards try to overcome that little obstacle."  
  
"Merlin was a white wizard, meaning good. And, as long as you stay a good wizard Harry, you can achieve the greatest powers that there are to achieve. Lord Caesar wanted that, but could not get it. All the centuries and decades of research, he found one loophole: if all firstborns of all powerful, but good wizards were captured, there is a way to extract their powers from their very being and be transferred to whoever was foolish enough to do it. And that power can be used for the good or the evil."  
  
"So what you are saying is, since Voldemort failed, this Lord Caesar is setting to do this again?" Ron asked, very shocked. "Even after all these years?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Wait a minute!" Sirius suddenly cried out. "What do you mean heir of Gryffindor and heir of Merlin? My dad?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled at the young boy. "Yes, Sirius, your dad. And being that Godric Gryffindor is Merlin's heir, then Harry is also Merlin's heir." Sirius stared at Dumbledore and his dad, wide-eyed.  
  
"Cool!"  
  
Harry smiled at his son, and then nodded to Dumbledore to continue.  
  
"Well Sirius, since you are your father's son, what do you think that makes you?"  
  
"You mean I am the new heir?" Sirius asked, shocked.  
  
"Yes son, you are," Harry answered, proudly.  
  
"But you are not yet trained Sirius, but once you do, you just might become as powerful as your father is."  
  
"And that's just what we would probably need to defeat the Praetorians!" Moony interjected.  
  
"Whoa!" Sirius gasped.  
  
"Ah, but you see, Caesar is a Black Magus. Do you know what that means?" Dumbledore said.  
  
"Oh my god!" Hermione exclaimed. "That means he can harness the evilest magic there is and use it to destroy anything and anyone!"  
  
The room fell silent. The news seems to be getting worse every time something new got revealed.  
  
"Yes, Hermione," Dumbledore said. "But Harry here is a White Magus."  
  
"I'm a what?" Harry asked, shocked.  
  
"That means your power is a lot stronger than the Black Magus, honey," Hermione answered for him.  
  
"So we can defeat him!" Ron said excitedly.  
  
"It has been centuries that he's been quiet. He's had plenty of time to train more black magic," Dumbledore said, solemnly.  
  
"Well," Snape said. "Draco and Harry have to train just as hard."  
  
"Why me?" Draco asked. "Harry is by far more powerful than me or any other wizard!" Harry looked at him, and smiled, blushing a little.  
  
"You are the one who can actually break the hold they have on Serena, Draco," Moony answered. "As you're her father. Your blood and your love for her are the main weapon you can use to bring her back."  
  
"What do you mean blood?" Neville asked.  
  
"That means they are related, Neville," Ginny said.  
  
"So do you mean to say, that they are going to try to take Sirius again?" Hermione asked, nervously.  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "And he's going to try to get all the children."  
  
"What?" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Why?" Neville asked.  
  
"But were not nearly half as powerful as Harry!" Susan cried.  
  
"Neither was I!" Draco pointed out. "But they still got Serena."  
  
"All the more reason you all need to train next to Harry," Dumbledore said. "He might be the most powerful wizard right now, but combined with all of yours, you will be invincible!"  
  
"Hey what about us?" exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"Yeah we should be trained too," Ronnie said.  
  
"They are after us after all!" Alanna reminded the adults.  
  
"The children are right," Arthur Weasley agreed. "They will need to learn how to defend themselves."  
  
"Moony and Padfoot can train them how to duel," Harry said.  
  
"Who?" the children chorused.  
  
"I'm Moony," Remus said, and then pointing to his friend, "He is Padfoot." Sirius Black smiled and waved at the children.  
  
"We can begin the day after tomorrow," Padfoot said.  
  
"That's right," Hermione said. "We all need to get to Diagon Alley for all their school supplies."  
  
"Yeah, they'll need to have wands after all, for dueling," Ginny said.  
  
"And Harry, you will have to teach them Wandless Magic," Dumbledore said.  
  
Harry nodded. He had been appointed a position at Hogwarts to teach Wandless Magic to 6th and 7th years.  
  
"Yes, Potter. I think the children will need special class times," Severus Snape said. Snape is now the Headmaster at Hogwarts. Dumbledore is the new Minister of Magic, and McGonagall is a Governor with Mr. Weasley.  
  
Draco, who had stayed silent through this, finally spoke up. "If you don't mind Harry, I'd rather just stay here and get a head start on training in your dungeons."  
  
Everyone turned to look at him, with sad eyes. Harry nodded to Draco indicating that he understood. Sirius walked up to him and gave him a hug.  
  
"Don't worry Uncle Draco," he said to him. "I promise to train really hard." Sirius let go of Draco, but left his hands on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "We will get Serena back."  
  
Harry's face lit up, and Hermione put a hand on her heart, tears beginning to well in her eyes. Hearing their son say those words made them realize just what kind of man he's going to grow up to be.  
  
"Jus' like his dad!" Rubeus Hagrid said, with a smile on his hairy face. Everyone in the room also felt pride for this young boy. Draco was so overwhelmed, that he could not stop the tears from flowing. He was so lost for words. He just hugged Sirius very tightly and cried in his shoulders.  
  
"Dobby don't mean to interrupt, but are we going to eat or not?"  
  
Everyone turned their heads toward the kitchen. By the door, there stood a little house elf, with his little hands on his tiny hips, with a confused look on his face. He has a little birthday cap on his head that has a sparkly light on top. No one, including Draco, could help but laugh.  
  
"Master Draco, only you could have been the one to hold up dinner," Dobby said with a smirk. "Just like when you was a little boy."  
  
"Dobby, why don't you tell us just what a rotten little boy Draco used to be," Ron said, with a twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"That could take DAYS, Master Ron!" Dobby shrieked.  
  
"Hey! I wasn't that bad!" Draco exclaimed.  
  
"Yes you were!" Dobby argued. Everyone laughed.  
  
"Come let's all eat, and Dobby can tell us all about Draco!" Harry said, still laughing.  
  
"Oh geez!" Draco said, sighing dejectedly, but also laughing.  
  
"WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? LET ME GO?" cried Serena, out into the darkness. At least, she thought it was dark, because she had a blindfold around her eyes. She had also been bound. "My dad will come for me and you're all going to regret it!"  
  
"Foolish child!" said a cold voice. "Your father is probably dead by now. We left him beaten and swimming in a pool of his own blood."  
  
"NOOO!" Serena shouted, then, she started to cry. "He's not dead! He'll come for me!" she said, almost a whisper. But her captors heard her and they just laughed.  
  
"No, he's not dead. He can't be!" Serena said to herself. She had slumped down on the cold hard floor thinking about her father. "Dad, where are you? Please come get me. I'm so scared! Please be okay." She sobbed quietly to herself and tried to recap what had happened to her.  
  
After she and her father had breakfast, she went up to her room to finish wrapping Sirius Potter's birthday present. Her dad went to his room to do the same. When they were both ready, they met in the living room by the fireplace. Draco had just thrown some Floo powder into it when they heard two Pops behind them.  
  
They turned around to see two hooded and cloaked figures had appeared in their living room, with their wands pointed at them. One of them shouted "ENGULFA" and before Draco or Serena could react, Serena was engulfed in a big glowing sphere in mid air. Draco tried to get his wand out from his coat pocket but got hit with a spell that threw him into the next room, hitting his head on the stair banister. He got up and finally got his wand out and started throwing curses blindly at the attackers, although careful not to hit his daughter. However, since he was on his own, the attackers had overpowered him, and once again were thrown by the stairs. He was in the brink of unconsciousness, when one of the attackers walked up to him.  
  
"Humph! Pathetic!" the voice said. Draco could not make out the image. His head is bleeding and he is fighting to stay focused. "And the Lord said that YOU were a very powerful wizard and to be on our guard?" Draco heard laughter. "What a joke! You are no match for the Praetorians!"  
  
"Let my d-daughter g-go," Draco said, barely a whisper. The men laughed again, and one of them came again and kicked Draco in the ribs. He screamed from the pain.  
  
"Stop!" Serena screamed, muffled by the sphere. "Don't hurt him!"  
  
"Foolish child," the same ice-cold voice said. "Come, it's time you became a Child of the ABYSS!"  
  
The two men walked over to Serena, pointed their wands up in the air, said a spell, and then they were gone.  
  
"Noooo, come back," Draco said, getting weaker by the second. Then, blackness.  
  
Serena cried herself to sleep. She was very uncomfortable because her hands are bound behind her back and her ankles have shackles on them. She just wants to be with her father and her friends.  
  
"She will be giving me a lot of power," said a voice. "She does not realize just how great of a witch she is!"  
  
After everyone has eaten, they all went back into the living room. Dobby had brought tea and was serving everyone.  
  
"Sirius, did you like your presents?" Mrs. Weasley asked.  
  
"Yes, Grandma!" Sirius exclaimed. "I love them all!" He had gotten a broomstick from his dad; a set of Magic Encyclopedia from his mom; some joke stuff from his twin uncles; a Muggle bicycle from her twin aunts; a Quidditch set from Ron and family; a Wizard's Chess set from the Longbottoms; a Magical Creatures book from Hagrid and Olympie; a potions kit from Snape; a transfigurations guide from McGonagall; a telescope from Dumbledore; and from Moony and Padfoot, a Marauders map.  
  
"I have your presents from Serena and me back at the house, Sirius," Draco said solemnly. Sirius looked at him with a big smile and said, "You can give them to me when Serena gets back." Draco just smiled at him.  
  
"Just like Harry," he thought to himself. "He will not let anything dampen his spirits, and yet have determination when it's needed."  
  
"Hey dad!" Sirius called. "You forgot something?" Harry looked at Sirius' mischievous face and started laughing.  
  
"No son, I didn't" Harry said, with his eyes twinkling. He got up and walked in the center of the room.  
  
"This will be really cool guys!" Sirius told his friends.  
  
Harry stood in the middle of the room. Everyone's anticipating this. Although all the adults have seen him transform, they still are always in awe, for Harry have the ability to transform into two beautiful creatures.  
  
Harry closed his eyes, and muttered silently to himself. Then all of a sudden, a bright light appeared around him. Everyone heard a beautiful song. The adults knew it was coming from Harry, but the children were just shocked. They sat on the floor with their mouths open. When the light faded, they did not see Harry anymore. Instead, hovering in the air, was a beautiful, very colorful phoenix.  
  
"Wow!" Sirius exclaimed.  
  
"He's huge!" Ron said, very impressed.  
  
"He's beautiful!" Alanna cried. She has tears in her eyes. "And that song!"  
  
Indeed, Harry had transformed into a giant phoenix. He practically covered half the living room. Then he spread his wings. The tips touched the walls on either side. He landed on the floor and looked at Sirius. A soothing noise came out of his beak. Sirius looked confused.  
  
"He wants to know if you three want to ride," Hermione said, laughing.  
  
"Alright!" the three shouted in unison.  
  
Harry walked towards the door and ducked to get outside. Everyone followed. The three, practically knocking everyone down, ran outside towards Harry. The enormous bird lowered his head so the kids could climb up. Once settled, he fluttered his wings, gave a wail and lifted off the ground.  
  
Sirius, Ron and Alanna were just ecstatic. They had never had an experience like this one. They all looked down to the ground below and realized that they were really high up. Sirius has the biggest grin on his face. He bent down and hugged the bird's neck. And as if in response, Harry gave a soft wail. He flew them around wizard London and for the kids, that was not long enough. He headed back towards their mansion. As they neared, the kid's saw all the adults waving at them all smiling broadly. When Harry landed, much to the kids' disappointment, he gave another wail. He lowered his neck again so the kids could slide down. Draco came over to help them.  
  
"Wow Uncle Draco, that was great!" Sirius exclaimed. "Have you ever ridden on Dad?"  
  
Draco laughed at his 'nephew'. "Of course! More than once."  
  
"Wow!" was all Sirius could say. When the kids were all off safely, another light flashed around the bird. This time it turned back to Harry.  
  
"Dad! That was awesome!" Sirius said, running up to Harry and giving him a hug.  
  
"Yeah, Uncle Harry, just incredible!" Ron called out, also running and giving Harry a hug.  
  
"Totally fantastic, Uncle Harry!" Alanna said, doing the same thing.  
  
"Thanks guys!" was all Harry could say, but with a huge grin on his face.  
  
"Now the other one Dad!" Sirius begged.  
  
Harry laughed at his son eagerness. "Can I rest up a bit first? You three weren't exactly light!"  
  
"Hey!" the three cried at the same time. That made everyone laugh. Just then, they all heard an icy cold laugh come out of nowhere.  
  
"Harry Potter! Your son will be mine! Hahaha!"  
  
"Oh my god!" Hermione gasped. Her knees buckled, and just as she was about to fall, Padfoot caught her.  
  
"Whoa! Easy there Mione," he said very concerned.  
  
"Dad!" Sirius exclaimed. The bright yellow and orange light surrounded Harry again. His eyes had turned to a very bright silver. He does not look like Harry. Even his hair had turned to a different color...platinum blond.  
  
"Oh boy!" Ron said meekly.  
  
"Doesn't take much to set him off, does it?" Draco said, looking at Ron nervously. He had seen this happen before. Harry had come to his and Serena's rescue. Lucius Malfoy was torturing Draco and laughing at him.  
  
"Serena will become Lord Voldemort's heir!"  
  
"NOOO!" Draco shouted, but helpless because of the Crutacius curse thrown at him by his own father. He was near death when Harry appeared.  
  
"You've broken up enough families!" Harry said, voice steady but echoed. That light surrounded him. He walked over to Draco. He shielded him in his light, muttered something under his breath and healed him.  
  
"Why are you helping me?" Draco had asked him, confused and scared at the same time.  
  
"Your father has been controlling you for a long time and now that you've turned against him, and helped us in defeating Voldemort, he's using your daughter against you." Harry answered. "I will not stand for that."  
  
Lucius tried to cast the Killing Curse at Draco but it bounced off the light, headed towards him, and killing him. Serena, who was still a baby then, fell on top of the now dead Lucius, crying profusely. Harry and Draco ran up to her. Draco picked her up, and tried to calm her down, but was crying himself. She was all he had left.  
  
"Harry!" Dumbledore called. "Do you know where the voice is coming from?"  
  
"Yes!" Harry answered. But, his voice sounded like there were a hundred Harry's talking at the same time. Everyone was stunned. They have never seen or heard this transformation before.  
  
"It's coming from the old Riddle House," Harry said.  
  
Everyone gasped at this revelation. Then Harry turned to everyone.  
  
"I'm going over there, and settle this once and for all!"  
  
"No Harry!" everyone said at the same time.  
  
"You are not yet prepared, Harry," Dumbledore said. "You need to train, along with everyone else."  
  
"He's right Harry," Remus said. "Please listen to reason. If we are going to succeed, you have to prepare along with us."  
  
"Harry," Draco spoke up. "Remus is right. Please, I want to go and save Serena and get rid of the Praetorians too. But I'm going to need your help...again." He had looked at the ground when he said this.  
  
The light around Harry had faded and he seemed to have calmed down. "I'm sorry everyone. Draco, you know you don't need to ask me for help. I'll give it to you."  
  
Draco looked up at Harry. He had a smile on his face but tears are swelling up in his eyes. "Thanks Harry," he said. "We'll start training tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah, tomorrow." Harry answered. "I will help you become a more powerful wizard Draco. You too, Ron, Neville."  
  
Ron and Neville looked at Harry, shocked. They both know that Harry and Draco are the two most powerful wizards in the world. Well, more Harry than Draco. Even he admitted that.  
  
"Then it's all settled," Dumbledore said. "Moony, Padfoot, you will go to Diagon Alley with everyone else to help get the kids' supplies. Severus and Minerva and I are going to stay here with these four men and help them train."  
  
Everyone nodded their agreement. There was a long silence. Then they heard someone sobbing.  
  
They all turned to see who it was. It was Sirius.  
  
"Baby!" Hermione whispered under her breath. She walked over to her son and put her arms around him. "What's wrong sweetheart?"  
  
"I wish that Serena was here and having fun with us instead of being wherever she is now," Sirius said, in between sobs.  
  
"Oh honey," was all that Hermione could say, starting to cry herself.  
  
"Draco, Sirius considers Serena his sister, since they pretty much grew up together," Harry said looking at his friend.  
  
"She says the same thing, Harry," Draco said, solemnly.  
  
"Why doesn't everyone get some rest?" Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "We all have a long day tomorrow."  
  
"Molly is right, everyone," Dumbledore said.  
  
Everyone silently agreed and started to walk back inside the mansion. Harry wants to start training now. He mustered his concentration to talk to Ron, Neville and Draco in their heads.  
  
"Guys!" Harry said, telepathically. "When everyone's asleep, meet me in the first dungeon."  
  
Ron, Neville, and Draco all stopped walking. They all turned to Harry, with shocked looks on their faces. But they were to dumb stricken to say anything, so they just nodded their heads. Harry smiled. He's glad that he managed to talk to them without anyone else knowing.  
  
Harry was glad that he managed to get into his friends' heads, although he's a little surprised himself. He's read about telepathy and he's been curious about it, but never thought that he could do it. "Well, now I guess I can," he said to himself, smiling.  
  
"Harry?" a voice called. Harry looked up to see Padfoot by the door. He had a very weird look on his face, almost as if he is confused or something.  
  
"What's up, Padfoot?" Harry asked, walking to his godfather.  
  
"Harry I heard you," Padfoot answered.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I heard you tell Ron, Neville and Draco to meet you downstairs."  
  
"What? How?" Harry asked, confused.  
  
"Harry, you've inherited one of your mother's many powers," Padfoot answered him, putting both hands on Harry's shoulders. "But you still need to learn to control it."  
  
"But how did you hear me?"  
  
"You thought that you were just concentrating on getting to your friends, but you were also worried that it might not work. Your worry and concentration had come together and produced some kind of echo that bounced off them and got into me," Padfoot explained.  
  
"And us!" came another voice.  
  
Harry and Padfoot both turned to see whose voice it was. They were surprised to see Moony, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Hagrid, Arthur, and Hermione. And, right behind them, were Ron, Neville and Draco.  
  
"Harry did you know that you are telepath?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Harry shook his head no.  
  
"Is there anything else you want to tell us?"  
  
Harry looked at everyone who was all looking back at him with anticipation.  
  
Harry did not know how to tell them. They all waited anxiously for him to say something.  
  
"Harry? Are you okay?" Hermione asked, getting worried.  
  
Harry just nodded his head. He sighed resigningly, walked over to a chair, and sat down. He put his face in his hands, then leaned back and took a deep breath, then finally looked at them.  
  
"I think I can see things," he said to them bluntly. Everyone gasped.  
  
"You mean you're a Seer too?" Ron asked, shocked.  
  
"I guess," Harry answered. "But I thought that I was just dreaming or something."  
  
He looked at Dumbledore who looked back at him with a look that said 'go on'. He sighed again and continued.  
  
"I saw this happen. I saw the Praetorians come to get Sirius."  
  
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"I told you, I didn't know!"  
  
"You've known all along about this?" Padfoot asked, very confused.  
  
Harry nodded his head. "But like I said, I thought that it was just all a dream! I swear!"  
  
"This changes everything," Dumbledore said. "Come, everyone. We will all go down to the dungeon and start the training."  
  
Before everyone started to go to the dungeon, Harry took out his wand from his back pocket. He pointed it towards the mansion.  
  
"APPARATE INDINDIO!!" he shouted. Everyone looked at him shocked as a purple starry light shot out of his wand and engulfed the whole perimeter of the mansion and its grounds.  
  
"Harry, what did you just do?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I casted a spell preventing anyone from Apparating or Disapparating into the grounds while were all down in the dungeons," Harry said nonchalantly.  
  
"Nobody knows that spell except Dumbledore!" Severus Snape barked.  
  
"Apparently Harry read my mind when he was trying to talk to his friends earlier," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Of course it was an accident. But I was thinking about doing it."  
  
Everyone looked at Harry stunned. Harry himself looked shocked at this. He really did not know that spell.  
  
"Harry, you really are powerful!" Neville said, awestruck.  
  
"Yeah Harry!" Ron agreed. "But you're starting to scare me! No offense intended."  
  
"None taken," Harry assured his friend. "I'm getting scared myself."  
  
He then walked over to Hermione, took her hand in his, gave her a very passionate kiss on the lips in front of everyone. "I love you, Hermione!" he said to his wife, and then kissed her some more.  
  
"Oh geez get a room!" Padfoot said, jokingly.  
  
"Yeah Harry you sure you don't want to wait until tomorrow to start training?" Moony said, laughter eminent in his voice.  
  
Harry pulled away from a blushing Hermione. He was blushing too. He looked her in the eye.  
  
"We start tonight," Hermione told him, smiling, love showing in her eyes.  
  
"Well, I guess we start tonight," Harry said still looking in her eyes. "My wife has spoken"  
  
He got a punch in the arm, given to him by an embarrassed Hermione. Everyone laughed at this. Harry gave Hermione a big hug that she returned.  
  
"And I love you too, Harry," she whispered in his ears.  
  
"Okay, can we get started now?" Padfoot said, arms crossed, tapping his foot, but with a smile on his face.  
  
"Yes let's go," Harry said, taking Hermione's hand.  
  
"Well it's about time!" Padfoot said, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up in the air.  
  
Everyone laughed again while they went inside to go down to the dungeon.  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: THE TRAINING  
  
Mrs. Weasley was herding the three children to bed when she heard a voice.  
  
"Molly, please tell Fred, George, Parvati, and Padma to meet us down in the first dungeon."  
  
That was undoubtedly Harry's voice. However, when Molly turned to see if he was behind her, he's nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Molly can you hear me?" Harry's voice asked. Then Molly's eyes opened wide. It finally struck her. Harry has Lily's gift as a telepath. Then she smile to herself and said "Of course dear, I will, as soon as I've tucked the wee ones in."  
  
"Thank you!" Harry's voice said.  
  
Sirius stuck his head out the door to his bedroom. "Grandma, who are you talking to?" he asked, looking around.  
  
"Your dad," Molly answered, smiling.  
  
"But I don't see him anywhere!" Sirius said, perplexed.  
  
"Because he's talking to me telepathically."  
  
"What's tel-tele-tele..." Sirius stuttered, obviously having a hard time trying to pronounce the word.  
  
"Telepathically," Molly finished for him, still smiling. "It means he's talking to me in my head. But I can't do it myself, so I have to talk normally to answer him back."  
  
"But how can he hear you from far away?  
  
"Your father is a very powerful wizard Sirius. The only other wizard I've encountered to do that was your grandmother, Lily. She too, had very great powers, as did your grandfather, James. Lily's powers were astounding considering that she was Muggle-born. Your father can hear me talk to him as long as he keeps the connection."  
  
"Oh wow!" Sirius said, bewildered, climbing into his bed.  
  
Just then they heard footsteps coming from down to hall and stopping in front of the door.  
  
"It's okay Mum. We heard Harry," Fred said, sticking his head in the doorway. George, Parvati and Padma were right behind him. "So no need to tell us."  
  
"But how did you know?" Molly asked, puzzled.  
  
"We just heard him," Fred, George, Parvati and Padma replied in unison.  
  
"Really Uncle Fred?" Sirius asked, shocked. "But how?"  
  
"Oh my, he's not yet capable of controlling this." Molly said, worried.  
  
"Don't worry Mum," George said, putting a consoling arm around his mother. "Dumbledore is here. He'll help him control it."  
  
"Oh I suppose you're right," Molly said, relaxing a bit. "Well, off with the four of you then. They're waiting."  
  
"Okay bye, Mum!" Fred and George said together, giving Molly a kiss on either cheek. "Goodnight kids!"  
  
"Goodnight Uncles!" Sirius, Ronnie and Alanna said at the same time.  
  
"Goodnight Mum," Parvati said, giving Molly a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight kids!" Padma did the same, and then turned to leave.  
  
"Goodnight Aunties!"  
  
"Good luck girls!" Molly called after them. Then she proceeded to get the kids in bed. "Come on you three."  
  
"Grandma, is Uncle Harry really the most powerful wizard in the world?" Alanna asked, climbing into one of the two extra beds that magically appeared in Sirius' room.  
  
"Yes he is dear," Molly answered, tucking her in.  
  
"Then why does he need to train?" Ronnie asked, climbing into the other bed.  
  
"Because that's the only way you can get your powers to do what you want," Molly said.  
  
"What does Uncle George mean about Dumbledore helping my dad 'control' his powers?" Sirius asked, very puzzled about it.  
  
"Well Sirius, any witch or wizard has certain hidden powers inside them. If this power just suddenly come out without warning, that wizard or witch will not be able to control it right away. Even though they can use that power, but not control it, something could seriously go wrong, well depending on what kind of gift it is. That is why, a wizard or witch have to train to control any newfound powers and keep training to master that power. It takes discipline and dedication to use any kind of power. And it takes a pure heart to be able to control a power and not use it for evil. And that Sirius, is what your uncle meant. Dumbledore can help Harry manage and control any power that he possesses. And Harry has the purest heart that I have seen or known, so you don't have to worry about a thing. Do you understand, dear?"  
  
"Yes Grandma," Sirius said. He let out a big yawn, tiredness finally settling in. "Goodnight Grandma. Ronnie. Alanna," he said sleepily.  
  
"Goodnight Sirius," Molly said, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Then she walked over to Alanna and Ronnie and did the same thing. "Goodnight dears," she said to them, and walked out of the room and quietly closing the door.  
  
Harry and the others were starting to form a circle when he suddenly jolted upright. Padfoot noticed this.  
  
"What's the matter Harry?" he asked.  
  
Harry did not answer for a minute. Everyone watched him in silence, as he stood there very rigid. Then he closed his eyes. Hermione was about to ask him if he was okay when he spoke up.  
  
"It's Serena!" Harry said, opening his eyes. Draco suddenly tensed up.  
  
"What about her?" Draco asked, excitedly. "Is she okay?"  
  
"She's crying," Harry answered his friend, sadly. "They've got her tied up in the basement. She's wondering when anyone of us is going to save her." He paused and looked at Draco gravely. "She thinks you're dead."  
  
Draco's knees buckled, and he fell on ground. He started crying.  
  
"I've failed her!" he sobbed.  
  
Hermione went up, sat in front of him, and gave him a hug.  
  
"No Draco!" she said. "You did NOT fail her!" Draco just kept on crying and held on to Hermione. She looked up to Harry, her eyes red and swollen with tears.  
  
"You didn't fail her Draco," Harry said. It hurts him to see his friend like this. "We will get her back safe and sound."  
  
"She's all I have left," Draco said, still crying. He pulled away from Hermione and wiped his tears away with the backs of his hands. "I'll gladly give my life to save her!"  
  
"We know you will Draco," Dumbledore spoke up. "But we need you to be strong, for her sake. As I said, you are the only one who can actually save her. The rest of us can just help you get to her, but the rest will be entirely up to you."  
  
Draco nodded. He looked at Hermione and gave her a weak smile.  
  
"Thanks Hermy," he said, a bit embarrassed. "I needed that."  
  
Serena tried to sit upright. Considering she's in shackles, it was a very hard chore. She could have sworn she heard and felt her Uncle Harry. "Maybe I'm just so desperate to get out of here that my mind's playing tricks on me," she scolded herself. Then she remembered something. Three weeks ago, when they were over at the Potters for Harry's birthday, she went to the library. She recalls picking up a book about telepathy.  
  
"Now think, Serena!" she muttered to herself. "What did the book say?" Then it hit her. "I know! I have to concentrate really hard and focus on who I want to contact. The book also says that the more powerful the wizard the sooner you can connect with that wizard. I'm going to try very hard."  
  
She closed her eyes. She thought of her dad. Deep inside, she does not believe him to be dead. She focused on getting through to him. She felt a rush go through her body. A sensation she has never felt before.  
  
"Daddy?" she called in her head. "Daddy can you hear me?"  
  
Harry jolted up again. "It's Serena!"  
  
"What?" Draco asked. "What happened now?"  
  
"Nothing happened Draco," Harry said, looking at him. "She's trying to call you."  
  
"What?" everyone in the room exclaimed.  
  
"What do you mean?" Draco asked eagerly.  
  
"I think she's trying to call you telepathically," Harry said, wide-eyed.  
  
"Well, I can't hear anything!" Draco said, a little miffed. "Can you talk to her?"  
  
"I'll try," Harry said. He closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate and focus.  
  
"Serena," Harry called in his head. "Serena, it's Uncle Harry. Can you hear me?"  
  
"Yes! Get me out of here please!"  
  
"We're going to get you Serena. We're working on it. And your dad is with me."  
  
"He is? Is he okay?"  
  
"He's fine, just really worried about you."  
  
"They told me he's dead!" Serena started crying. She really wanted to talk to her dad. But then a thought occurred to her. "Uncle Harry, how come I'm talking to you?"  
  
"I know you wanted to talk to your dad, Serena. But you were connected to me instead. He's right here, next to me."  
  
"Uncle Harry, does this mean that you're a telepath?"  
  
"Yes, but I still have to learn to control it. By the way, your father is going crazy over here. You see, they can all hear you in their heads."  
  
"What? Oh my gosh!"  
  
"What is it Serena?"  
  
"That means, these people can hear me too!"  
  
Harry opened his eyes in shock. It didn't occur to him that what she said is true. Then he suddenly got cold. He must have a look of terror in his face because everyone started asking him what's wrong.  
  
"They heard us talking. He heard," he said, shakily. "He is going to her now!" Harry looked at Dumbledore for help.  
  
"Can you see what's going to happen, Harry?" Draco asked, afraid to hear the answer.  
  
Suddenly, Harry grabbed his head and he fell to his knees. "Ahhh!" he shouted.  
  
"Harry what's wrong?" Hermione asked, running to her husband. Harry is clutching his head. He fell on the ground screaming and rolling around.  
  
"Ahhh!" he screamed.  
  
"Stop it! You'll kill him!" Serena screamed. Lord Caesar has his hand up in mid-air, chanting something. He had apparently hit Harry with the Cruciatus curse through his mind connection with Serena.  
  
"Please stop it!" Serena screamed again. She could see the vision of Harry rolling on the ground, clutching his head and screaming in pain. Lord Caesar put his hand down and looked at Serena menacingly.  
  
"I know you have very strong powers, little girl," he sneered at her. "As soon as I've extracted them from you I will be able to kill anyone who opposes me from the other side of the world!"  
  
Serena stared at him dumbstruck. She's still confused about her powers. Draco had always told her that she's got special gifts, but she never really knew what he meant.  
  
"I wonder what else I can do?" she asked herself, but afraid to know. Her father told her that she'll learn more about her abilities as soon as she's in Hogwarts. "But it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to get a glimpse of it," she said, solemnly. She cried silent tears.  
  
"You, girl!" Lord Caesar barked at her, making her jump. "So, you know this Harry Potter?"  
  
Serena just stared at him, not wanting to speak.  
  
"Answer me!" he yelled at her, making her jump again.  
  
"He's the most powerful wizard in the world, and he's coming after you!" Serena yelled back, with all the courage she could muster.  
  
"Hahaha!" Lord Caesar laughed. "Oh really? Well, let him come! His powers added to mine will make me invincible!" He laughed again, and turned and walked out of the room.  
  
"Not if I can help it!" Serena muttered through clenched teeth.  
  
"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked, helping her husband up. Harry, one hand still clutching his head, and holding on to Hermione with his other, stood up shakily.  
  
"He used the Cruciatus Curse on me," he said, still breathing hard.  
  
"What?" But how?" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"He used the connection that I had with Serena," he said, sighing.  
  
"What?" Draco gasped, very alarmed. "Well, does that mean she got hit with it too?"  
  
"No Draco, just me," Harry assured him.  
  
Draco breathed a sigh of relief, even though he felt bad for Harry.  
  
"But why did he stop?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Because, Serena told him to. He's positive that she's got powerful talents hidden within her, and he wants to extract it to add to his," Harry answered, fury starting to overcome him. "My legs are still weak. Do you all mind if I sat down?"  
  
When everyone shook their head no, he turned towards one of the dungeon. There's a fireplace located catty-cornered not too far from the entrance. It has a couch, and two chairs placed in front of it. But instead of walking towards it, Harry raised his hand, leveled with his shoulders, palm up, fingers bent. One of the chairs lifted off the ground, floated in the air, and landed in front of him. He sat down in it. Hermione sat on one of the arms of the chair and put her hand in Harry's hair and started to rub his head. Harry looked up at her with much love and smiled. Then he bent down and put his head on her lap, and closed his eyes.  
  
"Albus, it's getting really late," McGonagall said. "Maybe we should wait until the morning, when everyone's rested. Especially Harry." She looked at the couple sitting in the chair. Anyone can see the greatness of the love they share.  
  
"I am a bit exhausted," Harry said, his head still in Hermione's lap.  
  
"As well you should be, getting hit with the Cruciatus Curse like that," Hermione said, giving him a kiss on top of his head.  
  
"I'm sorry I've wasted everybody's time," Harry said, sitting up and putting his arms around his wife's waist.  
  
"No need to apologize Harry," Arthur said. "We all got kind of uh, sidetracked."  
  
"Alright then, everybody off to bed," Albus said. "We'll all start again tomorrow after breakfast." Everyone nodded their heads and started to get up and leave.  
  
"But, what about the kids?" Susan asked. "They still need to get their school supplies at Diagon Alley."  
  
"Me and Olympie will go wit Mrs. Weasley," Hagrid spoke up, looking at Dumbledore as if asking for permission. Dumbledore smiled at him.  
  
"Of course, that's an excellent idea," he said. Hagrid beamed at this, pride showing for being entrusted with the well being of these special children.  
  
"No one vould dare attack ze children vhile ve are zere," Olympie boasted. Everyone smiled. They all know that Hagrid and Olympie would give their lives to protect anyone of them.  
  
"Then it's all settled," Moony said. "I, for one, am anxious to get started, but wouldn't mind getting a good night's sleep."  
  
With that, Severus Snape spoke up. "Draco?" he called.  
  
Draco looked at him. "Yes, sir?"  
  
Snape smiled at him. "No need for formalities, son." Draco smiled back and nodded, understanding.  
  
"I have brought several potions with me," Snape said. "And extra ingredients, just in case. Would you like some potion for dreamless sleep?"  
  
Draco nodded his head. "Yeah, that'll probably be a good idea."  
  
"Well, you can walk with me to my quarters then." They both started to walk to the door, when Snape stopped, turned around and addressed Moony.  
  
"Remus, I took the liberty of making a batch of your potion as well. You'll need to start taking them tomorrow."  
  
"Thank you Severus," Moony said, smiling gratefully at him.  
  
"Don't mention it," Severus said, waving his hand carelessly. "Well, goodnight everyone."  
  
Everyone said good night to him and Draco, and they both left. Then everyone followed suit, until only Harry and Hermione are left.  
  
"Harry, are you sure you're alright?" she asked him, deeply concerned.  
  
Harry let go of Hermione and stood up. He took her hands and pulled her up to him and hugged her.  
  
"As long as you and Sirius and everyone else are safe, yes."  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: THE WHITE MAGUS  
  
The next morning was a very hectic one. The adults were still tired from being up late. The children, however, were very excited about going to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies. Dobby was running around getting breakfast ready and cleaning up after the children. But not once would you hear a complaint come out of his little mouth.  
  
"Hey mum?" Sirius called. "Can Dobby come with us?"  
  
Dobby stopped in the middle of the kitchen floor, and looked up to Sirius, with wide eyes (if it was possible for his eyes to get any wider than they already are).  
  
"Of course he can, son," Hermione said, smiling, without a moment's hesitation.  
  
Dobby smiled. He loves going places with his family. They've always taken Dobby along with them.  
  
Harry walked into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Good morning, everyone!" he said.  
  
Everyone looked up at him and greeted him. Harry looked at the faces of all the people that were in his kitchen. The same people he's known and loved and cared for since he was eleven. He walked over to Hermione, who was going through Sirius' school supplies list. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips, which she returned eagerly.  
  
"Uhh, you two want to go back upstairs for a bit?" Padfoot joked, looking at his godson and Hermione, with a smile that reached his eyes.  
  
Everyone laughed. Harry and Hermione broke apart, blushing. Before Harry sat down, he grabbed a roll and playfully chucked it towards his godfather. Padfoot caught it laughing and bit into it. Dobby walked up to Harry with a cup of steaming hot tea. Harry took it, and thanked him. The tea was really hot as steam was clearly visible from the top of the cup. Then he did something that shocked everyone.  
  
Harry blew into the cup to cool it down. But what he didn't realize was that when he blew into the cup, his breath came out sort of icy. He had just cooled the tea down enough to where he can drink it without burning himself. The steam had all but gone. When he lifted the cup to take a sip, he saw over the cup that everyone was looking at him, and seemed to have been frozen.  
  
"Er, what are you all looking at?" he asked very puzzled, putting the cup down on the table.  
  
"Harry! Since when can you do that?" Hermione asked, perplexed. Harry looked around the room. Everyone was staring at him, wide-eyed and open- mouthed.  
  
"Uh, do what Hermione?"  
  
"Blow ice out of your mouth?" Hermione half shouted.  
  
"Excuse me?" Harry asked, totally taken aback. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Dad!" Sirius said, jumping out of his seat and running up to Harry. "You were! That was so cool!"  
  
Harry was a loss for words. He didn't realize that he had done something like that.  
  
"I'll be at the library!" Hermione said, jumping from her seat and giving Harry a quick kiss on the cheek. "Have a good day shopping Sirius and behave!" She gave him a kiss and a hug, and then before anybody else could say anything, she ran from the kitchen and headed towards the library, with not so much as a backward glance.  
  
"Same old Hermione," Ron said, shaking his head. "When in doubt, go to the library!"  
  
Everyone laughed. Then Mrs. Weasley got up from her seat. "Well, we best be off if we want to beat the rush."  
  
Hagrid, Olympie, Sirius, Alanna, and Ronnie all got up and followed her into the living room. They are all going to Floo over to the Leaky Cauldron to get to Diagon Alley.  
  
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Fred was looking around for somebody.  
  
"Oi, does anyone know what happened to Viktor and Fleur?" he asked. Everyone looked up at him in surprise.  
  
"Hey you know what? I just saw them briefly yesterday when they first got here," Ron said.  
  
"I don't recall seeing them when we were having dinner, though," Snape said.  
  
"So where did those two went off to?" Padfoot asked, scratching his head.  
  
Then, as if on cue, Viktor and Fleur walked through the kitchen door.  
  
"Viktor! Fleur!" Harry called. "Where have you two been?"  
  
"Um, ve vere in ze library," Fleur answered, shyly.  
  
"Er, yeah. I guess ve fell asleep in zere," Viktor added, a bit embarrassed.  
  
Everyone raised their eyebrows. They all looked at each other and tried not to laugh, to avoid embarrassing the couple any further.  
  
"Um, would you two like some breakfast?" Harry asked.  
  
"Please, I'm starved," Fleur said, taking a seat.  
  
"Zank you, zat vould be greatly appreciated," Viktor said, sitting next to her.  
  
Harry got up to make the two breakfast, since Dobby had gone with Sirius and the others to Diagon Alley. He is a very good cook, considering he's been doing it since he was a little boy.  
  
"So vat's going on?" asked Fleur.  
  
"Just what were you two doing in the library that neither of you have any ideas of what's been happening?" Snape barked at her, getting angry.  
  
Viktor and Fleur sank down in their seats, too afraid to say anything.  
  
"Severus, calm down!" Moony warned. "It's okay."  
  
"No, it's not!" yelled Snape. "They should show more respect! They are guests in this house after all!"  
  
"Severus, that's enough!" Padfoot bellowed. "Leave them be."  
  
Snape didn't say another word, but gave Viktor and Fleur an evil glare. Harry finished making them some sausages, pancakes and eggs and set them in front of the two now gloomy friends. There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Well, eat up guys!" Harry said, breaking the silence. "They're not as good cold as when they're hot."  
  
Viktor and Fleur looked up at him and smiled, and both murmured their thank you's. Albus, who also did not agree to what the two have done, stood up and brought his dishes to the sink. Everyone else who was done with breakfast followed suit.  
  
"We'll meet you two down at the first dungeon," he said, calmly, with an edge of annoyance.  
  
"Yes, sir," Viktor and Fleur said at the same time. Everyone, but Harry got up and headed towards the dungeon. Harry, who did not mind what had gone on with Viktor and Fleur tried to cheer them up.  
  
"Everyone is just on the edge right now guys," he said. "Just let someone know if you guys are going to disappear again, okay?"  
  
"Ve are very sorry 'Arry," Fleur said. Viktor just merely nodded. Harry got up to follow the others.  
  
"Well, finish your breakfast and meet us downstairs."  
  
They nodded their heads and Harry turned and left them to eat their breakfast.  
  
When Harry walked into the dungeon, he heard Severus still going on about Viktor and Fleur.  
  
"And to think that they are teachers in my school!" he bellowed, his face red with fury.  
  
"Severus, calm down, mate," Remus said, holding up his hands. "They are both adults. and I think that they have a pretty good idea by now that something had happened last night while they 'were in the library'."  
  
"And, we are NOT in the school right now, Severus," Padfoot pointed out, arms crossed on his chest, his back leaning against the mantle of the fireplace, and one leg crossed over the other.  
  
"I realize that, Black," Severus growled at him, through gritted teeth. He walked up to him, fists clenched at his sides. "But we are in a very grave situation at the moment, if you have forgotten."  
  
"No, I didn't forget SNAPE!" Padfoot said, a bit curt. He straightened up, and clenched his fists as well. "But I don't think that anyone of us could have known that something bad was going to happen!"  
  
It's obvious that Severus and Padfoot had never seen eye to eye on things. The two of them stood there glaring at each other. Everyone else in the dungeon just looked on quietly, not wanting to be in the line of fire. Remus finally got up and walked in between the two of them.  
  
"Guys, we have a more pressing matter to worry about than wondering if Viktor and Fleur should get some kind of 'teacher's detention' or something!" he said, looking at both men back and forth.  
  
"WHAT?" Severus and Padfoot said at the same time. They both looked at Remus and back at each other, then, back to Remus, who had the biggest grin on his face. Then spite of themselves, they burst out laughing. Soon, everyone joined in the laughter.  
  
"Ugh! I wouldn't fancy being in those two's shoes right now!" Ron said, holding a stitch on his side, from laughing so hard. "Snape's detentions have always been sheer torture!"  
  
"Hey!" Snape retorted, but was still laughing. They were all still laughing when Hermione walked in, followed by Viktor and Fleur.  
  
"Hey guys! Look who I bumped int-," Hermione did not finish. "What's so funny?" She turned to look at Viktor and Fleur, who both just shrugged their shoulders. When everyone saw them, they all doubled up laughing, harder than before.  
  
"Would somebody PLEASE tell me what's going on, or I'm going to start throwing hexes at everyone!" Hermione demanded, raising her voice to be heard over the loud laughter.  
  
"Snape!" Padfoot said, still laughing, pointing at Snape, then to Viktor and Fleur. "Them! Detention!" He couldn't stop, and neither could anyone else. Hermione, Viktor and Fleur just looked at each other and rolled their eyes, with Viktor pointing his forefinger to his head, spinning it and mouthing "Mental!"  
  
When the laughter finally subsided, Harry turned to Hermione. "What did you do at the library Hermione?"  
  
"I had to look something up," she answered nonchalantly. Then she hugged herself and shivered. "Is it me, or is it cold in here?" She looked at Harry, with her eyes glinting.  
  
"I'll start a fire," Harry said, walking over to the fireplace. When he got there, he started to take his wand out of his pocket, but stopped. He turned to look at Hermione, who was smiling.  
  
"Go on Harry," she said. Harry nodded, as if he finally understood what she was getting at.  
  
He raised his hand, waist level, and closed his eyes. All of a sudden, a ball of flame appeared at the palm of his hand. He was stunned. As was everyone else. He looked back at Hermione who nodded her head at him, and then turned back to the fireplace. He tossed the fireball in and the fireplace came alive with red and amber flames.  
  
"Whoa!" Ron said, dumbstruck.  
  
"Hermione, anytime you want to share with us what you've found out," Padfoot said, still looking at Harry in amazement.  
  
"Well, remember that Albus said that Harry is a 'White Magus'?" Hermione asked, barely containing the excitement in her voice. When everyone nodded their heads, she continued. "Well, after the ice breath incident, I decided to look up about White Mages. It seems that Harry here can control the elements." Everyone was stunned by this news. Since no one spoke, Hermione continued.  
  
"White Mages has the power to control the elements-Fire, Ice, Air, Wind, Lightning and Thunder. And a more powerful one could control the whole weather system!"  
  
"So you mean to say, that I can do all that?" Harry asked, still very shocked. Hermione added.  
  
"You also have the ability to talk to animals, Harry. Not just snakes, but all species."  
  
"I think I need to sit down," Harry said, getting dizzy with all these new revelations. He walked over to the chair nearest to the fireplace and sat down, leaning back and covering his face with his hands. "How come they are just coming out now?" he asked, his voice muffled under his hands.  
  
"Because, Harry," Dumbledore spoke. "A Black Magus, Lord Caesar, has provoked your inner powers out."  
  
Harry sat up and looked at him. "I don't know whether I should thank him or kill him!" he said, exasperated.  
  
"There's more Harry," Hermione said, sitting on the arm of the chair, and taking his hands. "You also have the abilities to walk on water, make yourself invisible, and...fly without a broomstick!" She said that last bit with more enthusiasm. Everyone knows that Harry loves to fly.  
  
"Without a broomstick?!" Harry half asked, half shouted, sitting up suddenly. Hermione nodded her head excitedly, with a huge smile on her face. "So you mean I won't have to transform into a phoenix to fly anymore?" When Hermione nodded again, his face lit up.  
  
"Yes, Harry," Dumbledore said, smiling. "That is why we have to have you train right away."  
  
"Then what are we waiting for?" Harry said, jumping up from the chair. Everyone laughed. They all got up and walked over to the center of the dungeon.  
  
Serena was awaken by hands untying the ropes from her hands and feet. When she was loose, she groggily tried to sit up. Her arms barely supported her weight when she tried to push herself up to a sitting position. Her whole body was stiff and she let out a groan when she leaned against the cold stone wall. Her stomach gave a small growl, reminding her that she hasn't eaten since breakfast yesterday with her father.  
  
"Has it only been yesterday?" she asked herself. The thought of her father made her eyes fill with tears. "I miss you Daddy!" she wept.  
  
"Please don't cry," a voice said. Serena jumped. She didn't realize that there was still somebody there with her. Then she heard footsteps and a curtain being drawn. Light flowed in through a small but wide window, revealing a hooded figure.  
  
"Are you hungry?" the voice said. The voice belonged to a 'he'. He pulled down his hood. Serena looked at him, squinting. She is still trying to adjust to the light. He is a young man, about fifteen years old. He had white blond hair, that's straight and reached his shoulders. His face doesn't show any signs of malice, unlike the other ones that she's seen. He looked gentler, kinder even. He didn't wait for her answer. He walked up to her, with a silver serving tray of food. He set it down in front of her and stood up to walk away. There was eggs, bacon, toast, a cup of pumpkin juice, some muffins, and an apple.  
  
"Well, enjoy your breakfast," he said to her, walking towards the door.  
  
"Wait!" Serena called, trying to stand up using the wall for support. "Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome," he said, smiling.  
  
"What's your name?" Serena asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. He smiled again and walked back over to her.  
  
"Iolaus. Iolaus Pendragon," he answered, extending his hand. Serena looked from his hand to his face. He had a smile so genuine, she couldn't help but smile back.  
  
"I'm Serena Malfoy," she said, shaking his hand. She looked at his face again. He had ice blue eyes that were just enchanting. His grip when they shook hands was firm but gentle, and his smile was making her melt.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Serena," Iolaus said. He hadn't let her hand go. But Serena hadn't let go of his either. "She's so beautiful," he thought to himself. Just then, Serena let him go very abruptly. She sat back down on the ground and reached for the tray of food. "Umm, I'll leave you to it then, Serena," he said, puzzled.  
  
"Thank you, Iolaus," she said not looking up. Iolaus turned and walked towards the door. But before he stepped out, he took one last look at the fragile little girl sitting in the corner eating breakfast like she hadn't eaten in weeks. He shook his head sadly, sighed and walked out, closing and locking the door behind him.  
  
When Serena heard the lock clicked, she looked up and put her juice down. She leaned against the wall and sighed.  
  
"I heard his thoughts!" she said. "He thought I was beautiful!" She giggled to herself. But then she jerked up. "I heard his thoughts!" she exclaimed. "But how?" Her stomach gave a small growl telling her to keep eating. She resumed, at the same time thinking about Iolaus. She's also pondering on if this was one of her powers that Lord Caesar was talking about. She finished her breakfast and stood up, stretching. She started to pace around the cold room. She walked over to the window, and looked out. She saw a huge garden, and some people wearing cloaks, fixing it up. From the looks of it, the garden hasn't been tended to for a long time. Then she saw him. Iolaus had a hoe in his hand and was walking to a patch of dirt. He seemed to be really young to be with this bunch. Serena wondered if there are others there that were just as young as him that was working for Lord Caesar.  
  
She sighed again and walked back to her corner. She sat down, and hugged her knees. "What I wouldn't do for a good book!" she said to herself. Then to her surprise, a light appeared and disappeared next to her. When it left, she saw a book, lying on the floor, where the light had appeared.  
  
"Whoa! Wicked!" she exclaimed. "But how?" She picked up the very thick, very heavy book. It was a very old one, judging by the state of it. The covered is tattered but seemed to be intact. The pages were yellowed and dusty. She turned the book over to read the title. "Wandless Magic" she read out loud. "Uncle Harry knows this stuff and he teaches it at Hogwarts." Then she leaned back against the wall again, carrying the book with her and settled herself. "Maybe there's something here that will help me," she said hopefully.  
  
Just as she was about to open the book, she heard the click of the lock on the door. She started to panic. She doesn't want them to see the book, or ask how she got it. But where could she hide it? Then, for some reason, she looked at the book, and said, "OBJECTA INVISIBLA", and the book, although she could still feel it, has vanished. She was stunned, but did not have time to ponder on how she did that. She had just barely put the book behind her back when the door swung open.  
  
"Get up!" barked the same man that told her that her father was dead. Serena did as she was told. The man walked up to her and tossed her some garments. She caught them and stared at them for a moment and looked back up at the man.  
  
"What's all these for?" she asked. The man just tsked at her.  
  
"You will be changing into those and will be moved upstairs," was all he said. Then he turned and walked out of the room and locked the door from the outside.  
  
Serena examined the garments. To her surprise, they were clothes: a pink blouse that has a v-neck and short, puffed sleeves, a short flowery skirt, a lighter shade than the blouse, and some undergarments.  
  
"Why did they want me to change and where did these come from?" she said aloud. She jumped when she heard a voice from the other side of the door.  
  
"Are you done yet?"  
  
Serena bunched up the clothes in her arm and walked over to the wall. She groped around for the invisible book. When she found it, she hid it under them. Then she stood up and called back. "Umm, if you don't mind, I would like to take a bath before I put on these clean clothes."  
  
"What?" said the voice. "I'll have to ask the Lord first. I'll be right back!" Serena waited patiently. She walked over to the window again and looked out. She saw Iolaus still hard at work out in the garden. It must have gotten warm outside because he had taken his cloak and shirt off. He's only wearing his pants and boots. He had turned around and that's when Serena saw the tattoo on his back. It was a dragon's head with a serpent coiled around it. She was taken aback by this.  
  
"But he's so young!" she thought to herself. Just then, Iolaus had turned back around, using his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead. He looked up and saw Serena looking out the window. He smiled and waved at her. She blushed and waved back.  
  
"Good god! He's even more handsome in the sunlight!" she thought to herself. Then she slapped her forehead. "Stop it! You're eleven years old, for Pete's sake!" she scolded herself. "But it's nice to know that someone outside your family thinks you're beautiful." She smiled at that thought, and then felt sad again. She missed her dad and everyone else. "I wonder what they are doing now?" she asked herself. She looked out the window again. Iolaus was back at work, sweat glistening in the sun. She smiled, in spite of herself. She's secretly waiting for the next time that they will meet.  
  
"Harry," Albus said. "To clear the way for the higher mind, you must learn to control and focus the conscious mind. Consider how you seem to have a thousand thoughts rushing about at any given moment. This shows how you scatter your energies, giving only a small percentage of your energy to any one idea or action at a time. Do you understand?"  
  
Harry nodded. The group had formed a circle, with Harry in the center. Albus was acting as the north point; Hermione, the east; Ron, the west; and Draco, the south. Everyone else was standing in between the four points.  
  
"Now, Harry, concentrate. Talk to Hermione using your powers," Albus instructed.  
  
Harry closed his eyes and tried to shut out everything to focus on telling Hermione something, not an obvious thing, of course. Everyone was silently waiting for what seemed like ages, when it was actually just a couple of minutes.  
  
"Of course I remember!" Hermione suddenly said, making everyone jump. Harry opened his eyes and looked at Hermione, then to everyone else. The circle was now looking patiently at Hermione. Obviously, it worked. Because all seem to be eager to know what Harry had said to her.  
  
"Well, Mione?" Ron said, anxiously.  
  
"Well, Harry asked me if I remember how we first met," Hermione said, smiling at Ron. "Of course I do. Like it was yesterday."  
  
"I remember too," Ron said, with a dreamy look in his eyes. Then he jerked his head suddenly up to Harry. "No we didn't meet first on the train, Harry. I first saw you at King's Cross train station. You wanted to know how to cross the barrier."  
  
"That's right, Ron," Harry said, smiling. Then he closed his eyes again. This time it was Draco who spoke up.  
  
"Ugh! Did you have to bring that up Potter?" he groaned. Everyone laughed. They all knew Draco's and Harry's first encounter with each other. "Some things are best not remembered," Draco said, crossing his arms on his chest and looking at the ground. He was obviously still ashamed on how badly he treated Harry, Ron, and Hermione while they were all in Hogwarts. He regrets it to this day, how many years wasted tormenting them instead of being best friends with them, like they are now.  
  
"Well Harry," Albus said. "It seems that you have overcome that obstacle."  
  
Harry looked at him and smiled. He greatly respects the old wizard, so any praises from him makes Harry feel he can overcome anything.  
  
"Albus?" Harry said. "Can I do that to objects?"  
  
"You mean, can you call on inanimate things and make it do what you wish?" Albus asked, eyes twinkling. Harry nodded his head. "Well, why don't you give it a try?"  
  
Harry nodded and closed his eyes again. The next thing everyone knows, there was a knock on the door. Everyone jumped. Padfoot walked over and opened the door.  
  
"Ahhh!" he cried, as he jumped out of the way. Harry's old racing broom, The Firebolt, flew in and hovered in front of Harry. Everyone's mouth hung open. Harry opened his eyes and smiled and looked at his broom. He just kept looking at it, talking to it with his mind. Then the broom handle bobbed up and down as if telling Harry 'yes' to whatever he had asked it to do. The broom rose up slightly and slowly zoomed out of the circle, going around everyone. When the handle ducked down, it went in between Neville's legs and just lifted him off the ground.  
  
"Ahhh!" Neville shouted, as he grabbed onto the handle with both hands. The broom flew Neville around the room and stopped in front of the window, high on the wall. Neville had a very puzzled look on his face. He turned to Harry.  
  
"It's not wanting me to open the window, does it?" he asked nervously. For an answer, the broom edged closer to the window and knocked on it three times.  
  
"I think it does, honey," Ginny said, giggling. Neville, now horrified, looked at everyone as if asking them for help. He's never been fond of flying. In his first year at Hogwarts, the broom he was on in class went crazy on him. He'd had a broken wrist as a result.  
  
When nobody moved, he reluctantly reached to open the latch with a shaky hand. As soon as he did so, he'd barely ducked his head down so as not to hit the top of his head on the window sill, did the broom zoomed out, carrying a now screaming Neville.  
  
"Ahhh! Helllppp!"  
  
"Harry James Potter!" Hermione called. "What are you playing at?"  
  
"Don't worry, Mione," Harry said, smiling. "He'll be okay. You watch!" Everyone ran up to the window and looked up to the sky. Neville was still screaming, although the Firebolt wasn't doing anything scary. It was just flying in a straight line, with the occasional turns.  
  
Then all of a sudden, the screaming stopped. Then to everyone's amazement, Neville took both hands off the broom and spread them out. The Firebolt did a triple loop and zigzagged, spiraled, and flew around. Neville let out a whoop. Then the broom turned and headed back towards the window. Everyone moved out of the way to let Neville and the broom through. The broom stopped in the middle of the room, and lowered itself until Neville's feet touched the floor. He got off and turned to everyone, his face white. Then, he ran towards Harry and put him in a bear hug and spun him around as he lifted him off the floor.  
  
"Hooray, Harry!" Neville said, still spinning Harry around. "That was the absolute best!" He stopped and put Harry down. He squeezed him once more and let go of him. When he stepped back, he saw that everyone was looking at him in shock.  
  
"What?" he asked puzzled.  
  
"Are you okay, Neville?" Ginny asked, worriedly.  
  
Neville walked up to her and hugged her and spun her around. "I'm more than okay, Gins!" he said. "That was the best experience ever!" Everyone laughed.  
  
"I guess your fear of flying has left you?" Hermione asked, smiling and walking up to Harry, linking her hand to his.  
  
"Yes!" Neville said. "And thanks, Harry! You're really a great friend."  
  
Harry smiled and nodded to his friend. "You're welcome, Neville. But for a moment there, I thought you were going to kill me!" Everyone started laughing again.  
  
"Harry, what exactly did you tell the broom?" Padfoot asked.  
  
"Well, I just told the broom to be gentle with Neville and see if it can get him to relax and enjoy himself. And I guess it listened and Neville did!" Harry said, casually.  
  
"Gosh, Harry," Ron said. "You are really starting to scare me! Can talk to things now! If you ever do something like that to me, I'll hex you! Well, after I've regained my strength back from fright that is."  
  
Everyone laughed at this. They all know that Ron was just joshing and that what he said was true. Now that Harry has controlled his telepathic powers, who knows what goes on in his head.  
  
"Well, now Harry," Albus said. "We've got you to master that particular talent. How about trying your shot at speaking to animals?" With that, Albus waved his hand and what seemed like a whole zoo, appeared in the dungeon.  
  
Everyone gasped. There were all kinds of animals. They could all barely move. Albus, however, made sure that there will be no 'accidents'. Some of the more dangerous animals appeared in cages. There was one of each species it seemed like. Harry was overwhelmed. When he saw a familiar animal around the corner where the fireplace is, he walked over to it.  
  
"Shesh! sha hiss asha(Hello! We meet again!)!" Harry had spoken to a python coiled in front of the fire. It wasn't just any other python. It was the one he set free from the zoo when he was eleven. The python, lifted its head up, and its beady little eyes opened as wide as it could go.  
  
"Shesh! Siss hass ah messha! (Hello! Is that really you!)!" To the others, it didn't seem like the python was talking to Harry because it just kept sticking its tongue out at him. But everyone kept on watching.  
  
When Harry nodded his head yes, the python totally uncoiled himself and wrapped around Harry gently. Everyone gasped.  
  
"Harry!" they all cried. Harry turned to them and started laughing.  
  
"It's okay guys!" he said to them, waving them back. "He's just saying 'hello'. This is the same python I set on my cousin Dudley at the zoo when we were eleven!"  
  
"What? How do you know?" Ron asked, very surprised.  
  
"Well, because he remembered me as well," Harry said, petting the python's head.  
  
Everyone was astonished that the snake is still alive after all these years, and even more so that it remembers Harry.  
  
"Well, Harry, why don't you try that lion over there?" Ron pointed to a cage that is situated by the back wall, underneath the window. Harry nodded and made his way toward it. At first, the lion was growling at him, and was sneering at Harry, showing him its great big teeth. That sight would have scared anyone to death, but Harry was confident.  
  
Harry reached the cage and stuck his hand through the bars to pet the lion's mane. The lion got on its feet and was making soft growling noises. And so was Harry. This went on for a few minutes, while everyone was watching, listening, and petting the different animals in the room. And to everyone's amazement, the lion roared and then bent its two front legs and lowered his head to the ground. It was bowing to Harry.  
  
"Whoa Harry, what did you say to it?" Draco asked, very shocked.  
  
"Actually, he did most of the talking," Harry said, turning to the others. "He told me that he senses something regal, and powerful in me. I told him that I can transform into a lion, he said that he is inferior to me and that he will always obey me and serve me for as long as I let him." He was kind of surprised himself. He looked at everyone who just had their mouths open.  
  
"Remind me to never pull a prank on you again," George said nervously.  
  
"Hear, hear!" Fred squeaked.  
  
Everyone laughed. The sight of those two pulling a prank on Harry and Harry summoning this lion to go after them was just two much.  
  
"Well, that will be a sight to remember for a long time!" Ginny said, laughing. "You two running to the roof away from a rampaging lion!" All of them were just hysterical, including Fred and George.  
  
"Well, Harry, go on and talk to our friends," Albus broke in. "I'm sure they are anxious to go home."  
  
Harry nodded and turned to look at the animals. When he did, they all did something very shocking. They all lowered their heads and bowed to him. He was really stunned. Then the lion made some soft growling noises. Harry apparently understood, for he nodded to him.  
  
"Well our friend, the lion, told everyone, the animals, that is, that I am their king and what I say should be heard and obeyed," Harry told everyone, his voice shocked and amused at the same time. He looked at Albus, who was smiling broadly, and just beaming with pride.  
  
CHAPTER SIX: THE UNEXPECTED AT DIAGON ALLEY  
  
Molly Weasley, Sirius, Ronnie, Alanna, Hagrid and Olympie, were all sitting at a table on the outside patio of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop, having sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream sodas.  
  
"Uhmm! This is really good, Grandma!" exclaimed Sirius, his mouth thick with ice cream.  
  
"Don't talk with your mouth full dear," Molly said to him, sternly, but with a gentle smile. "And yes, it is very good. It's amazing what some Muggles take for granted."  
  
They had finished buying everything the children will need for their first year at Hogwarts.  
  
"Too bad that I can't buy a broomstick yet," Sirius added, sadly. "I really want to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Harry was the best Seeker that Gryffindor ever had, so naturally, his son wants to follow in his footsteps. Harry had been offered a position to play for England's national team that he turned down, because Albus Dumbledore had offered him a teaching position at Hogwarts. But to this day, he still gets offers to play for a lot of teams, and he's turned them all down. He's happy teaching at Hogwarts and he's happy to BE around his family all the time.  
  
Sirius is a pretty good player himself. Harry, Ron, Neville, Fred, George, Ronnie and he play as often as they could. Alanna, although a girl, can give any boy or man, a run for his money when it comes to playing Quidditch. She wants to try out too, as a chaser; and Ronnie wants to try out to be either a Beater, or a Keeper. All three kids, having fathers and uncles who played Quidditch at Hogwarts, are very skillful at the game indeed.  
  
"I know you lot want to try out for the team this year," Hagrid said, looking from one child to the next. "But rules are rules: second years and up only can try out for the house teams."  
  
"But my dad was in his first year when he played!" Sirius objected.  
  
"Well, he was an exception alright!" Hagrid beamed. "But who knows? Maybe you three would get lucky and all the older students' just plain stink at Quidditch!"  
  
Everyone laughed at this. Only a miracle could make that happen. They were still talking about it when it was time to go back to the Potter Mansion. They grabbed all their stuff and started to walk back to the Leaky Cauldron to use the fireplace to Floo back to the Mansion. But when they got to the back door, they were met by a whole gang of hooded figures, all wands out, and pointing at them. The patrons of the tavern, including the owner/manager, Tom, were all gathered into a bunch and bound together in one corner. Sirius recognized the hooded figures.  
  
"Praetorians!" he said under his breath.  
  
"Who are you? And wat yeh want wit' us?" Hagrid demanded.  
  
"Shut up, you big oaf!" shouted one of them. "We just want the children!" Molly let out a gasp and gathered up the children close to her.  
  
"You are NOT taking my babies!" she cried.  
  
"Be quiet witch!" yelled another one. "Just give them up and you just might get out of this alive!"  
  
Olympie and Hagrid stepped up in front of Molly and the children, blocking them from view. They are both so big that no one could tell that there were people behind them.  
  
"You vill haf to get through us first!" sneered Olympie, her face full of fury.  
  
"Have it your way then!" The men, about eight of them, all gathered together, shoulders almost touching, wands out, ready to strike.  
  
"STOP!" yelled Sirius. Molly, Ronnie and Alanna let out gasps and stepped away from him. Hagrid and Olympie both turned around to see why Sirius had told them to stop. Their mouths dropped open in shock. Sirius had started to glow, just like Harry had done. His eyes had turned silver, and his hair had turned platinum blond. The light that glowed around him looked like flames engulfing the boy.  
  
"Sirius?" Ronnie called, afraid to touch him.  
  
"You will not hurt any of us!" Sirius said, his voice echoing throughout the tavern. The hooded men were startled by this. They all tried to move, but seemed to have been frozen on the spot.  
  
"Sirius?" Ronnie called again, this time taking a step towards his friend.  
  
"If Lord Caesar wants me, or any of us, he needs to come and get us himself!" Sirius said, his voice sounding like Harry's, like there were a hundred Sirius' talking at once.  
  
"Jus' like Harry!" Hagrid said, breathlessly.  
  
Sirius closed his eyes.  
  
"Dad, can you hear me?" he said.  
  
Harry was having an animated talk with a koala perched on a small eucalyptus tree, when he suddenly jerked up.  
  
"Sirius!" he cried.  
  
"What?" Padfoot answered, looking up from petting the python.  
  
"No, not you!" Harry said, shaking his head. "My son, Sirius!"  
  
Everyone stopped playing with the animals and ran up to Harry.  
  
"What is it?" Hermione cried, very alarmed, tugging on the sleeve of Harry's shirt. "What's happened to my son?"  
  
Harry didn't answer. His eyes were closed, and was standing very rigid. Then he nodded his head.  
  
"We have to get to the Leaky Cauldron!" Harry said, taking his wand out.  
  
"What? Why? What's happened?" Hermione asked again, almost shouting.  
  
"No time to explain, Mione," Harry said. "We have to go, NOW!" He walked into the middle of the room and raised his wand to the ceiling.  
  
"APPARATE INCINDIO!" he hollered. A flash of light appeared, but instead of coming out of his wand, it was going INTO it. "We can all Apparate there now. Let's go!" One by one, each of them 'popped' out of the dungeon, leaving some very startled animals behind.  
  
"Umm, Hagrid?" Alanna called. "Why haven't they moved?" She jerked her thumb towards the Praetorians. Hagrid looked away from Sirius, who is still glowing, to see what she is talking about. It's true. The Praetorians have not moved. They were still standing there, with their wands out. Hagrid walked up to them and touched one man on the arm. That man just blinked his eyes, but didn't move. Hagrid's mouth dropped open again. He looked at the men and back to Sirius.  
  
"You couldn't have?" he said, shocked.  
  
"He couldn't have what, Hagrid?" Ronnie asked.  
  
Before Hagrid could answer, a series of 'pops' were heard behind him. He turned around, ready to pounce, but relaxed when he saw who had appeared.  
  
"Harry, thank goodness!" Molly cried. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Susan, Neville, Ginny, Fred, George, Parvati, Padma, Draco, Viktor, Fleur, Albus, Minerva, Severus, Padfoot, Moony, and Arthur, all appeared, simultaneously into the Leaky Cauldron. They all let out a cry of surprise when they saw a glowing Sirius.  
  
"Merlin's blood!" cried Padfoot. "Harry, I didn't know that HE could do that!"  
  
"I didn't know either," Harry barely whispered, slightly shaking his head.  
  
"And that's not all, you lot," Hagrid said. They all turned to him who stepped aside to show the eight frozen men.  
  
"Praetorians!" Draco yelled, getting angry and reaching for his wand.  
  
"Hold it Draco!" Albus called. "They are not to be feared. They have been put in a freezing spell."  
  
"But who d- ," Hermione started to say, but stopped and put her hand over her mouth and looked at Sirius. She looked back at Albus.  
  
"It looks like our young Mr. Potter has inherited his father's gifts," he said, his eyes twinkling.  
  
Harry walked over to Sirius and put his hand through the light, and rested it on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius looked up to Harry and smiled meekly. The light slowly faded away. When it was gone, Sirius's hair turned back to its natural color of black, and his eyes back to its emerald green.  
  
"Dad, that was scary!" Sirius said, shaking. Harry hugged his son tightly and gave him a kiss on top of his head.  
  
"I know it was, son," he murmured in his ear. "I know it was."  
  
"Sirius!" Hermione called, running up to Harry and their son. She grabbed him and put him in a very tight hug. "Oh son, are you okay?"  
  
"Yes mum," Sirius answered, hugging her just as tightly back. "Just a little shocked, is all."  
  
"Now, young Sirius, if you would, please release these men," Albus requested.  
  
"Don't you reckon we should arrest their wands first, Albus?" Minerva asked, nodding her head towards the men's outstretched hands.  
  
"I think that that would be a most excellent idea, Minerva," Albus said, smiling at her.  
  
"What do you say, Draco?" Moony asked. "Mind helping me?" Draco didn't need a second invitation. He walked to the men starting from the right, while Moony started from the left, prying wand after wand out of their frozen hands.  
  
"It's just creepy how only their eyes could move," Alanna said, shuddering. Ginny walked over to her daughter and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.  
  
When all of the Praetorians' wands have been confiscated, Draco and Moony walked back to the group, reaching for their wands, pointing them towards the men.  
  
"All done!" Ron called from the corner of the room. He and Neville had untied the tavern's patrons. Albus told them to exit to Diagon Alley for their own protection. When everyone had gone, the group, with all wands pointing at the Praetorians, waited for Sirius to release them from whatever spell he had put them on.  
  
Sirius was scared. He really didn't know how he did it. It just happened. "Dad, I don't know if I could do this," he said, tears falling on his face. Harry patted him on his shoulder and then gave him a quick hug.  
  
"Just concentrate and focus, Sirius," Harry advised him.  
  
Sirius closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He tried to focus on the spell. A small, faint light started to glow around him. Then he opened his eyes, and looked at the Praetorians.  
  
"HEATIA!" he said, magnified a thousand times. The men all stumbled forward, falling on top of each other. Harry, Ron, Draco, Neville, Padfoot, Moony, Severus, Fred and George all surrounded them, pointing there wands at them.  
  
"Now, gentlemen," Albus spoke. "If you would please, kindly explain yourselves." His voice was calm, but with a hint of supremeness.  
  
"We answer to no one but Lord Caesar!" they all said in unison. Albus frowned and looked at the men from above his half-moon spectacles. He had expected this answer. But Harry wouldn't stand for this.  
  
"YOU WILL ANSWER TO US!!" he yelled angrily. The men to look at him, startled. They all gasped when they saw that Harry had started to glow. His features haven't changed, but the red and amber light surrounding him was enough to intimidate them. "You will tell us why you want these children and what Caesar has done to Serena, AND YOU WILL TELL US NOW!"  
  
The men cowered to Harry. They looked at him with much fear, for they don't know what he's capable of doing to them if they don't do what he says. One finally stepped up and got on his knees and bowed to Harry.  
  
"S-s-sir, I'll t-tell y-you w-what y-you w-want to kn-know!" he said, nervously. His companions let out some cries, but none tried to stop him.  
  
"Good," Harry said, calmly. "Get up; I'm not your evil lord." The man looked up at Harry and reluctantly stood up. He looked around the room, and sighed dejectedly when he saw that wands were pointed at him and his cronies. "Now start talking."  
  
Before he could open his mouth, a flash of light engulfed the room and screams were heard. When the light disappeared, so did the eight Praetorians, leaving nothing behind but their ashes underneath their crumpled robes, still smoldering. When everyone uncovered their eyes and looked again, they all cried out in shock.  
  
"Damn it!" Harry yelled as he turned around to punch the top of the nearest table. The table collapsed and shattered from the punch. Harry withdrew his fist back and stared at the broken table in shock. His hand had cuts from the table and started bleeding. He looked at it and blew on the cuts softly. And then, the cuts disappeared. Everyone was stunned.  
  
"I think, it's time that we head back to the Mansion, Harry," Dumbledore barely said, as he stood there, like everyone else, astounded. Harry just barely nodded his head, still looking at his now healed hand. Each child walked over to his or her respective parent and held their hands. Then with a series of 'pops', they all Disapparated out of the tavern.  
  
Lord Caesar was pacing angrily in the big leaving room of the old Riddle House. He had just killed some more of his men. He is not happy about being failed again for attaining Sirius Potter and extracting the boy's powers for his own.  
  
"Incompetent! That should have been an easy job for them!" he muttered angrily. He stopped when he got to a window. He looked out into the garden and watched as his servants are working on restoring the place. "I could have them just used magic," he chuckled. "But that would have been too easy for these lowly maggots!" He walked away from the window and sat in a big chair situated in front of the living room fireplace. "I guess I am going to have to do this on my own." He sat there with his arms crossed on his chest. He is formulizing a plan of action of getting Sirius Potter, Ronnie Weasley and Alanna Longbottom without problems, and having Harry Potter to give up his powers to him in exchange of the children's lives, including Serena Malfoy.  
  
Serena's mouth hung open when she entered the bedroom that one of Caesar's men had led her to. The Lord had agreed to have her have her own room and get cleaned up. "Wow!" she said breathlessly. Everything was redone in the old room, by magic no doubt. There is a four-poster canopy bed with pastel pink hangings and bed linens. The bed itself is grand, too much and too big for a girl of eleven. It had about thirty pillows of different shapes and sizes. There is a fireplace in the room against the back wall, a bathroom and a huge walk-in closet. When Serena went to check the closet, she almost dropped in shock. It was full of clothes for her. And, different shoes to match whatever outfit she picked. She turned to the man who brought her up.  
  
"Lord Caesar did all this for me?" she asked, very puzzled.  
  
"Yes he did," he answered gruffly. "He sent young Iolaus into Big Hangleton and had him buy all these things for you. You will be staying here for a long time, little girl, so you might as well get used to it." The man smirked at her and then turned on his heels and left Serena to herself.  
  
"Iolaus," she whispered, smiling. She ran to the window to see if he is still out there. And he was. "Oh my god, he's gorgeous!" she said out loud. She put her hand to her mouth as soon as she realized what she had said, and started giggling. She went to pick up the clothes that were handed to her earlier in the basement. She had dropped them on the bed when she first walked in. "I guess I'll get cleaned up now," she said. "I do feel really ucky!" She walked to the bathroom and pushed the door open. It was a small bathroom but it had a big tub. She turned on the taps and plugged the tub up so it will fill up with water. While she waited, she stood up and walked over to the mirror.  
  
"Eww, gross!" she grimaced as she ran her fingers through her hair. It was all tangled up and felt slimy from sleeping on the ground in the basement. She looked at her arms and saw that she's got a couple of bruises on either wrist from being tied up. She just shrugged her shoulders and sighed. She got undressed and climbed in the tub. As she sat there soaking and still waiting for the tub to fill, she closed her eyes and started thinking about Iolaus again.  
  
"I wonder if the Lord would let me take her for a walk around the grounds after dinner?" Serena jerked up.  
  
"Did I just hear him again?" she asked herself. "Yes, I'm sure of it." She leaned back again and giggled. "He wants to take me for a walk!" Serena sighed dreamily as she closed her eyes again. "Maybe this place wouldn't be too bad after all."  
  
Back down in the living room, a cold and icy laugh could be heard. It was Lord Caesar. He had heard Serena's thoughts once again. "So, Iolaus has a thing for the little damsel," he said, smirking. "That would be very useful, indeed." He pushed himself out of the chair and walked over to the window again. There he saw Iolaus hard at work in the garden. He smiled evilly as he watched.  
  
"This would really make it easier to extract her powers," he chuckled. Just then, one of his servants had entered the room carrying a tray with a goblet and a bottle with purple liquid in it.  
  
"Your potion, master," the servant said, bowing to him. He set the tray on the table next to the chair that Caesar was sitting in. The servant poured the liquid into the goblet and handed it to his master, head still bowed.  
  
"That will be all," Caesar dismissed him as he took the goblet. As the servant was walking out the door, he called him back.  
  
"Tell Iolaus to come and see me when he is done," he ordered without looking at him.  
  
"Yes, master," the servant replied. He bowed to him even though he knew that Caesar wasn't looking at him, and left the room.  
  
Caesar walked back over to the chair and sat down. He sighed as he crinkled his face. "Ahh, this potion should fix the discomfort," he said as he took a drink. "I'm going to have to find someone to make me some more of this potion. This is the last bottle." Lord Caesar made a face as he took another drink. "This is really revolting," he grimaced. "But this is the only thing keeping me alive."  
  
Harry and the others had Apparated back to the Mansion. Alanna started crying.  
  
"That was not a very good sight to see!" she cried. Ginny hugged her daughter, tears in her eyes as well.  
  
"That is what we're up against?" Neville squeaked. "If he could kill his own men like that, why doesn't he just do it to us?"  
  
"Because he can't have our powers if were dead, Neville," Harry said. He is really getting angry. "He knows what were doing. He's watching us somehow."  
  
"But how?" Draco asked, looking at Harry. "I want Serena back."  
  
"Why don't we just go to the Riddle mansion and just get her and be done with it?" Ron asked, getting frustrated. He's holding on to his son, still shaking from their ordeal.  
  
"Because we don't know the extent of his powers, Ronald," Albus said, a bit curt. "We can't just go in there blindly and end up losing lives."  
  
"Albus is right," Harry said, sighing. "Come on everyone, back to training." Everyone got up and followed Harry to the dungeon. Molly stayed behind to start supper with Dobby.  
  
When they reached the dungeon, there were many noises coming from inside.  
  
"Oh, I forgot about the animals!" Albus exclaimed.  
  
"Animals?" Alanna asked. "What animals?" And before anyone could stop them, the three children pushed open the door. Alanna let out a scream. There stood a lion, staring at her straight in the eyes. Ron and Sirius stood there frozen, fear in their faces. The adults all laughed at the sight.  
  
"It's okay, Alanna," Harry said, walking up to her. "He won't hurt you." The lion stepped up to Alanna and bowed to her. She was in shock. Then the lion lifted his head and licked her in the face.  
  
"Ugh, yuck!!" Alanna shrieked, as she tried to wipe the slobber off her face with the back of her hand. Everyone laughed at her.  
  
"I think we should send them back to their homes now," Albus said, raising his wand. The children protested, but they knew that the animal have to go.  
  
Serena finished getting dressed. She had put on the new clothes given to her and she walked in the closet to pick out some shoes to match. She found the perfect pair: a light pink platform open toed sandals with a flower perched on top of where the foot dividers are joined. She walked back into the room and looked at herself in front of the full length mirror on the wall. She grabbed a hairbrush on the vanity next to it and brushed her long brown hair. It was straight and just reached the small of her back. The color of her hair is the combination of her father's hair color, blond, and her mother's, black. She felt sadness for a moment at the thought of her parents. Her mother died giving birth to her. She had suffered throughout the whole pregnancy because Serena's grandfather, Lucius, cursed her after she refused to give up her baby after it was born to him. Lucius had slipped a potion into one of her drinks. The potion made her deathly sick and barely alive to push Serena out when she went into labor. She lived long enough to name her, and give her a kiss on top of her little head before she took her last breath.  
  
Serena was told this by her father. "I miss you daddy," she whispered. She was startled by a knock on the door. She went to open it and barely contained her excitement when she saw who it was.  
  
"Wow, you look great!" Iolaus said to her. She blushed, and muttered a soft 'thanks' and let him in.  
  
"Uh, Serena?" Iolaus said, a little awkwardly. "Would you like to walk around the grounds with me after dinner?" She smiled at him shyly. He had blushed himself, but smiled back.  
  
"Yes, I would love too!" she told him. He offered her his arm and bowed slightly.  
  
"May I have the honor on taking this beautiful lady down to dinner?" he said, smiling. Serena laughed as she curtsied to him and took his arm.  
  
"Yes you may," she said to him, looking him in the eye. They stood there looking into each other's eyes longer than they have intended. Iolaus looked away, embarrassed, and cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, shall we go?" he asked her. She nodded and they both stepped out of the room to go to the dining hall.  
  
"I need you to focus on Harry, Draco," Albus instructed. "You both will learn to combine your powers and become one."  
  
Harry and Draco looked at each other confused, and looked back at Albus. He noticed their questioning glance.  
  
"Harry did you know that you have the ability to fuse with someone?" Albus asked, a little too cheery.  
  
"What?" Harry exclaimed. "What do you mean, "fuse"?" He looked at Draco, who is just as confused as he is.  
  
Albus chuckled and shook his head in amazement. "Sometimes Harry, I just wonder how you can be so powerful but yet be a little dense." Everyone snorted a laugh, including Harry.  
  
"I ask myself that all the time, Albus," he said, smiling, not the least offended.  
  
"Well Harry, what I mean about 'fusing' is that you can connect with another wizard and you can transform into another being."  
  
"I beg your pardon!" exclaimed Harry. "You mean to say, that I can merge with someone, go inside their body, and then we both become another person?"  
  
"Yes Harry, that's right," Albus said. "And you will be fusing with Draco."  
  
"Er, excuse me, but why with me?" Draco asked, very shocked.  
  
"Because you are just as powerful as Harry is, Draco. You two alone have the power and the skills to pull this off."  
  
Draco looked at Harry, who seemed to be just as shocked as he is. He sighed and nodded his head. Harry walked over to Draco and tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"No funny business in there, Draco!" he said to him, pointing at his body. "I'd like to have everything as it was when were done, thank you very much!" Everyone laughed, including Draco, who is shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
"Don't worry Harry, as long as you leave mine alone!" he told his friend. Harry laughed at him and nodded his head.  
  
"Now let's get down to business," Albus said, making everyone silent.  
  
Harry and Draco walked to the center of the room, while everyone formed a circle around them. Everyone is eagerly waiting to see what is going to happen.  
  
"Now Harry, Draco, put your wands together," Dumbledore instructed. "Just let the tips touch." They did what they were told.  
  
"Now I want you both to concentrate. Look into each other's eyes and focus all your energy to one another. Then say the words "FUSION GOTAME". But say it loud and clear."  
  
Harry and Draco looked at each other and focused. They can both feel each other's energy coming from their wands. Then they nodded at each other and said at the same time "FUSION GOTAME!" What happened next was unbelievable. A purple, red, and yellow light came out of their wands and started to surround the two. What seemed like forever, the light grew bigger and brighter. Everyone was barely containing their anxieties. They can see Harry and Draco. It seems like they are getting close to each other. They were lifted off the ground slightly and then in the light, they started to spin around. Harry can feel a push from his back, so does Draco. Neither one spoke for fear of breaking the connection. Suddenly the light got blindingly bright and everyone had to turn away from the brightness. When everyone looked back, Harry and Draco were both gone.  
  
Where Harry and Draco once stood, there is another person. He has blond hair with black streaks that hung loosely on his shoulders. He has one blue eye, the other green. He was holding one solitary wand, in shape of a sword, with a silver handle. Everyone was looking at him wide eyed, yet no one spoke. Albus just smiled, positively beaming.  
  
"Outstanding!" he gushed. The man looked up at Albus, then to everyone else in the room. They have the looks of shock and awe in them. He smiled when he saw the children, with their mouths hanging open.  
  
"Hello," he said. His voice is a combination of Harry and Draco. They are talking at the same time, and yet it's this man that was doing the talking. He was just as taken aback by this as the rest of them. "So what should we call me?"  
  
Everyone relaxed and gave small laughs. "How about.Zeus?" Albus suggested. Everyone looked at him, puzzled. Everyone, except Hermione.  
  
"Honestly, don't any of you read anything Muggle?" she said, exasperated. When they all shook their heads, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "Zeus is the father of all gods in Greek mythology. He lives in Mount Olympus and had great powers."  
  
"Zeus is a cool name," said Harry/Draco. "We like it." Hermione looked at him. She wanted to desperately hug him but refrained from it because it's not just Harry, it's Draco as well.  
  
"Well now that you two have merged, you need to know how to UNfuse," Albus said. "Point your wand to yourself and say "FUSION ALTOME" and you should return back to your normal selves. Zeus nodded and closed his eyes. He pointed his wand to his chest and yelled the words. "FUSION ALTOME!" There was another blinding flash of light but it wasn't as long as the first one. When the light disappeared, Zeus was gone, and Harry and Draco were back. Everyone applauded. Harry and Draco looked at each other and started to laugh.  
  
"That was the weirdest experience ever!" exclaimed Draco.  
  
"That was too weird!" laughed Harry. They kept laughing, but gave each other high fives. Albus looked at them, amused at how well the fusion had worked.  
  
"Harry, Draco," he called, and everyone went silent again. "Now that you two have successfully merged, did you know that you now can attain each others powers?" Harry and Draco were stunned.  
  
"You mean I can do some of the things that Harry can do?" Draco asked. Albus nodded, his eyes twinkling.  
  
"Yes, when you two join together, the other absorbs some of the other's powers allowing him to use it for a short time after defusing." When Draco and Harry didn't say anything, Albus just shook his head.  
  
"Why don't you give it a try, Draco?" he said. Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. He's always been envious of Harry's powers, but now that he can actually have some of that power, even for a short time, he feels a little guilty.  
  
Draco looked at Harry questioningly. Harry smiled at him and nodded his head, telling him to go on. Draco smiled back. He walked to the center of the circle again, closed his eyes, took a deep breath and concentrated. When he opened his eyes, he turned to look at the chair by the fireplace. He lifted his hand and pushed his energy out of it. The chair lifted off the ground, hovered for a second, then slow levitated across the room. It landed in front of Draco with a soft thud. Draco's mouth hung down in surprise. Wandless magic had never been his forte. He looked at Harry who was just beaming at him.  
  
"Did I really do that?" he asked, breathlessly. "I mean, I could never do wandless magic before!"  
  
"Now do you believe that you have some of Harry's powers in you?" Albus asked, smiling. "You can use it for a short period of time, so use it wisely." Draco nodded, although still in shock. "Now Harry, you give it a go."  
  
Harry nodded his head and looked at Draco. One of Draco's greatest powers was to being a shape shifter. Harry's always been jealous of this power, but gave up on it once he realized he didn't have the patience for it. But something inside him made him think otherwise now. He closed his eyes and focused. He concentrated on the chair. Then he felt a sudden tug in his belly, then, he felt like he's being stretched. Then 'pop!' Harry had disappeared and a chair identical to the one Draco levitated now was where he was standing. Everyone gasped, but started laughing when they saw a pair of eyes on the back of the chair, blinking. It was Harry.  
  
"Wow Harry!" exclaimed Draco. "Can I see if you're just as comfortable as this one here?" Harry's eye's bulged, and suddenly the chair(Harry) started shaking, as if saying 'no'. Then all of a sudden with a loud 'pop', the chair had become Harry again.  
  
"There is NO way you're putting YOUR bum in MY face, Malfoy," Harry said, trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably. He doubled up laughing, along with everyone else. Amongst the laughter, Albus was smiling, just watching everyone, especially Harry and Draco.  
  
"Lord Caesar picked the wrong time to start a fight!" he said to himself, and then joined everyone's laughter.  
  
Iolaus led Serena into the dining hall. When they walked in, a servant bowed to them.  
  
"Lord Caesar sends his apologies. He will not be able to join you for dinner, as he's got business to attend to," he said, monotonously. Serena just looked at Iolaus, who gave her an uneasy smile. Iolaus held the chair for her, and pushed her in when she sat down, smelling her newly washed hair as he did.  
  
"God she smells lovely!" he thought. Serena looked up at him, blushing. She had heard his thoughts again, but she will not let him know that she can. When Iolaus started to walk to the other side of the table, his face went grave. Lord Caesar had summoned him earlier.  
  
"Iolaus, I want you to make our guest as comfortable as possible for the duration of her stay," Lord Caesar said, looking very stern. Iolaus was taken aback. Surely, the Lord is not asking him to watch over Serena. "Make her feel that she's not going to be in any danger. Make her lower her guard. That will make it easier for me to extract her powers." Iolaus was stunned. He's known of the Lord's plans, but he couldn't believe that he's using him as a pawn. "Do not fail me, Iolaus. You know what happens when someone fails me!" Lord Caesar said, menacingly. Iolaus just nodded his head, afraid to talk. When Lord Caesar was satisfied, he dismissed him.  
  
"Iolaus, um, just how big is this place?" Serena asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. She was still smiling at him. His heart melted.  
  
"Well, you'll find out soon enough, after dinner," he said, teasingly, as he smiled back. Serena just nodded her head and they just started talking about whatever while they waited for dinner to be served. Unbeknownst to either of them, Lord Caesar is right there with them. He had made himself invisible and was standing just by the fireplace in the dining room. He watched as Serena and Iolaus talked, laughed and joked between each other all through dinner.  
  
"Excellent, Iolaus!" he thought to himself. "You are proving yourself worthy to serve me." He sneered and just kept watching. When they have done eating dessert, Iolaus stood up and walked over to Serena. He held out his hand to help her up and led her out of the dining hall to a back door that leads to the gardens.  
  
It was a bright and starry night out. There was a gentle breeze flowing and Serena hugged herself and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Iolaus was just watching her. He's emotions were tearing him up inside. He sighed and looked up to the sky. Serena opened her eyes and looked over at Iolaus. In the moonlight, his blond hair seems to shine like the stars above.  
  
"God he looks so.so..HOT!" she said to herself, feeling the redness in her cheeks. Fortunately for her, Iolaus wasn't looking at the moment. She continued to study him. He's wearing a light blue dress shirt buttoned only up to the middle of his chest, revealing some blond chest hairs. He's wearing pleated men's khakis and penny loafers.  
  
"He's dressed like a Muggle," she finally analyzed. "I wonder.." Just then, Iolaus looked at her. She couldn't quite make anything of it at first. He seemed troubled about something, but he's not letting her on about it. But when he smiled at her, her knees grew weak. She tried her best to stay up, but when they gave way, Iolaus caught her in his arms. She blushed a thousand shades of red, embarrassed about what happened. But when she looked up at him, Iolaus just kissed her, right on the lips. Very passionately. She pushed him away, shocked. She put her fingers on her lips, as she looked at him, taking a couple of steps back.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Serena!" he said, breathlessly. "I don't know what came over me." He looked at her with pleading eyes. Serena was confused and scared. She tried to tell him that it was okay, but nothing would come out of her mouth. As if the words got lost on the way up. She just suddenly turned on her heels and ran. Away from him, back to the mansion.  
  
"Serena! No, wait, please!" Iolaus called, running after her. She kept running until she reached her room. She slammed the door shut and somehow muttered a locking spell that locked it from inside and can't be unlocked from the outside. She didn't even stop to ponder this. She plopped herself on the bed, buried her face in one of the pillows and just started crying.  
  
"Serena, please!" Iolaus called, pounding on her door. "Please open up! Let me explain!" Iolaus kept trying to turn the knob on the door, but it still won't open. Serena wouldn't answer him. She just kept on crying into the pillow.  
  
"I'm sorry Serena," she heard Iolaus said, defeat in his voice. Then she heard his footsteps, going away from her room. She turned over on the bed. Her face red and streaked with tears. She was really confused.  
  
"What's going on with me?" she asked herself angrily. Then she cried again, until she fell asleep. Lurking in the shadows, Lord Caesar was silently laughing. "This is going just as I planned."  
  
Harry and Draco were still overwhelmed about their Fusing powers. When everyone told them about it, they were very surprised that they actually became one person.  
  
"Who would have thought?" Draco said, shaking his head. "We used to not even want to get too close to each other for fear of catching something!" Everyone laughed. Harry just shook his head, because what Draco said was true. Being one of his best friends now still seemed unthinkable.  
  
"Now Harry," Albus said. Let's go out to the pond and see if you could really walk on water." Harry jerked his head up. He's got a worried look on his face. He's never been much of a good swimmer and trying to walk on water just really terrified him.  
  
"Uh, okay, yeah sure. I guess," he stuttered. Hermione walked over to him and gave him a quick hug.  
  
"It's alright, Harry," she said. "You'll be incredible."  
  
"I just don't see why this is necessary," Harry said, shaking his head again. Albus frowned at him.  
  
"Harry, now is not the time to be skeptical of your powers," he said, a little too sternly. "You have to understand all of them in order to use them properly."  
  
"Albus is right, Harry," agreed Padfoot. "You start doubting your powers and you'll not get the results you want."  
  
Harry sighed and nodded his head. He took Hermione's hand and started out of the dungeon to go to the pond, right outside his house. He's still worried about it. He doesn't want to let anyone down, if he can't accomplish this one task. Draco seemed to hear his thoughts.  
  
"Harry just focus," he said to him through his mind. Harry turned to look at him and nodded. "Did you just hear me?" Draco asked, surprised. When Harry nodded yes, his eyes, opened wide. Draco must have absorbed that power as well. He stopped abruptly. "Can I try to talk to Serena?" he asked aloud. Everyone stopped in their tracks. They have just gone up the stairs to the living room.  
  
"You mean telepathically?" Ginny asked. "Oh yeah, that's right. You have absorbed some of Harry's powers." Everyone started talking at once. Albus had to tell them all to be quiet.  
  
"Okay, Draco," he said. "Give it a try. Maybe she can tell you what is going on with her right now." Draco nodded. He sat on the couch, followed by Harry.  
  
"Albus, can I try to help him out?" he asked. Albus smile and nodded his head.  
  
"Yes, that would be helpful," he told him. "Just put your hand on his shoulder and help him with your energy. Draco, you'll need to relax, and let Harry's powers guide you."  
  
Draco nodded and smiled at Harry gratefully. He's really anxious to talk to Serena. He's missed her so.  
  
Serena stirred in her sleep. Then she awoke suddenly. She looked around her room. There is something that woke her up but she couldn't point her finger at it. She has a feeling that something was going to happen.  
  
"Serena, can you hear me?" a voice said in her head. She jerked up when she heard it.  
  
"Dad! Is that you!" she said aloud.  
  
"Serena, are you there? Are you okay?" the voice said, with more urgency. She finally realized that it WAS her father, talking to her in her head. She closed her eyes and concentrated.  
  
"Dad! I missed you!" she replied in her head, feeling the tears filling up her closed eyes.  
  
"I've missed you too, sweetheart!"  
  
"But Dad, how are you talking to me?"  
  
"Harry is helping me. It's a lot to explain right now, but are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, I am, so far. I've met him, Lord Caesar."  
  
"Did he hurt you?"  
  
"No he didn't. But he keeps insisting that I have these amazing powers and he wants to get them from me!"  
  
"We're not going to let him Serena. Just be strong. We are going to get you out of there soon!"  
  
Just then, a voice echoed through their connection.  
  
"You think you are powerful enough to stop me?"  
  
Serena opened her eyes and gasped. "Oh I forgot, he could hear me!" She got up from the bed, and started to panic.  
  
"Dad, are you still there? Dad!" There was no response. The connection has been broken.  
  
Draco and Harry both jumped up at the same time. "He heard us!" yelled Draco, anger in his face.  
  
"He's not going to try to do anything right now is he?" Harry asked, no one in particular. Draco walked over to the fireplace. He rested both hands on the mantle and leaned on it. He's head down, he's quietly crying. Then he punched the wall.  
  
"He better not hurt my daughter!" he screamed, as he kept punching the wall. Moony had to go up to him and grab him to stop him from further hurting himself. His hand was bloody and started to swell. Draco let himself be taken away, and just broke down crying in Moony's robes. Everyone was silent, all their hearts went out to him. Sirius silently walked over to him and gently picked up Draco's hurt hand. Draco looked up. Everyone was looking at Sirius. He just stood there looking at the bloody hand as if he's trying to do something. Then finally, he gently blew on it.  
  
Draco felt some warmth on his hand as he stared in amazement at this little boy. The pain is slowly diminishing as Sirius kept blowing on his wounds. Then, all of a sudden, his hand was back to normal. Sirius stopped and looked at his uncle, with a small smile.  
  
"Sirius?" Draco whispered. He looked at Harry, who was stunned. "You healed it!" Sirius just nodded his head and looked at his father.  
  
"Oh my God!" Hermione gasped. She couldn't believe what she witnessed. "Harry?"  
  
Harry was a loss for words. He just stared at Sirius, stunned. He couldn't believe that his son was that powerful being so young. He looked at Albus for guidance. Albus saw his look and nodded.  
  
"It's just natural that Sirius has inherited your abilities, Harry," Albus said, slowly. "He is your son after all."  
  
"But could this be the hidden powers that Caesar wants to extract from him?" Harry said, finally finding his voice. Albus just merely nodded. "What else are you not telling us, Albus?" Harry said, suspiciously. Everyone gasped. They couldn't believe how short Harry had sounded.  
  
"I think we should postpone your water-walk for now Harry," Albus said, calmly, fully understanding him. "I believe we need to show the children that they possess very great powers." Everyone just looked at him surprised, especially the children. Just then Molly appeared from the kitchen.  
  
"Well, that'll just have to wait after dinner, Albus," she said. Everyone got up to go to the dining room, realizing that they were all hungry. Harry was the last one to go in.  
  
"Caesar, I will destroy you if that is the last thing I do!" he said.  
  
Serena was still on her bed, crying. She wants to talk to her father again, but afraid to connect with him in fear of Lord Caesar. She desperately wants to know what other powers she has, so maybe she could use them to escape. She jumped suddenly when she heard a knock on her door.  
  
"Serena, it's me, Iolaus," came the voice. "Please open the door."  
  
Serena sniffed and wiped her face with her hands and stood up. She went to the door and muttered something under breath that unlocked it. She was surprised. "Where did that come from?"  
  
As she opened the door, she saw Iolaus standing there. He had a look of worry in his face.  
  
"Serena, I -" he begun to say. She stopped him.  
  
"I want to go home Iolaus!" she said indignantly. He was taken aback by this. He felt sorry for her, but also felt helpless. He wanted to help her, but doesn't know how. Iolaus looked at her. She had started to cry again. It hurts him to see her hurting.  
  
"I wish you could read my thoughts, Serena!" he thought.  
  
"But I can, Iolaus!" she said, just above a whisper.  
  
"What?" he said, stunned. "But how?"  
  
"I don't know, but I heard you when you said that -," Serena stopped abruptly and looked away embarrassed.  
  
"What?" Iolaus asked nervously. Serena sighed and walked over to the bed. She sat down, with one leg bent on the bed, the other touching the floor.  
  
"What did I say, Serena?" Iolaus asked again, walking in and sitting on the bed in front of her. Serena looked down and started playing with her hands.  
  
"That I was beautiful," she whispered. But Iolaus heard her. He smiled, but he was blushing. He lifted up her face with his index finger and had her look at him.  
  
"And you are," he said softly. Serena smiled at him. She raised her hand and put it on his cheek. Iolaus sighed and closed his eyes as he felt the softness of her hand. He reached for it with his other hand and without removing it, he turned his face slightly and kissed the inside of her hand. He looked back at her and saw her smiling at him through her tears.  
  
"I don't like to see you hurt, Serena," he told her sincerely. He looked into her eyes and with his thumb, he wiped away her tears.  
  
"Can you hear me?" he asked her with his mind. When she nodded and started to speak, he put a finger on her lips to stop her. "Don't talk, and try not to answer me with your mind. I don't want HIM to hear." She nodded her head to tell him that she understood.  
  
"Serena, I will do my best to help you," he continued, without speaking. "But you've got to promise me that you will not do anything to provoke him to hurt you." She nodded her head again and raised her hand up and with the other, she made a cross sign on her chest. "Good," he said smiling.  
  
"I will tell you more soon, but right now, just be careful. Try to obey him. That's the only way to ensure your safety." Again she nodded. Iolaus gave her a kiss on the forehead, and a quick hug which she returned.  
  
"Sleep now Serena," he told her, when they pulled apart. "We'll talk again tomorrow."  
  
"Okay," was all she could say. He stood up and went to the door. But before he stepped out, he gave her one last look.  
  
"Good night, sweet Serena," he said softly, then turned and left, closing her door gently.  
  
Serena let out the breath that she's been holding in. Deciding against changing, she turned off the lamp next to her bed, laid down and hugged a pillow, thinking about Iolaus, and slowly drifted off to sleep, with a smile on her face.  
  
Iolaus laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He's still thinking about Serena and her soft hand on his cheek, when he heard a 'pop'. He sat up slowly, and looked towards the door.  
  
"Yes, M'Lord?" he asked, bowing his head.  
  
"So, you got her to trust in you, I hope," said the icy voice of Lord Caesar, sneering.  
  
"Yes, M'Lord," Iolaus answered, head still bowed.  
  
"Good! Tomorrow you will try to get her to show you some of her powers," Lord Caesar ordered. Iolaus looked up suddenly.  
  
"But how?" he asked. Lord Caesar just laughed, shrilly.  
  
"Use your charms, my boy, use your charms," and with that, he disappeared again with a 'pop'.  
  
It was a very solemn dinner at the Potter Mansion, combined with anxiety. Hardly anyone said a word. Arthur had filled Molly in with all that's happened down in the dungeon. She was amazed about the 'FUSION', but was in total surprise about Sirius healing Draco's hand. Everyone finished eating, and Dobby, using his elf magic, cleared the table. They all walked back out to the gardens with Dobby, on Sirius' request.  
  
"Now I want you three to stand in the middle," Albus directed. They had formed the circle again, although this time, Harry was the North point. The children did as they were told. They looked at Albus for more instructions. "Sirius, Ronnie, and Alanna, you three have a special connection, a special bond, along with Serena. You were all born with extra ordinary powers that, once probably trained and controlled, will exceed all of ours. Except for Harry, of course." He nodded at Harry, and smiled as he thought that he saw Harry blush. "Sirius, being that Harry is your father, you have more powers than the other three. But you also have powers that will only be as strong if you combine them with your friends'." Sirius looked at him shocked.  
  
"But how could we be as powerful as you say we are?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Because, you were all born three months exactly apart."  
  
Sirius and the others just looked at him dumbfounded.  
  
"Er, yeah..but what's it got to do with magic?" Ronnie asked.  
  
"More than just that, so you three need to really pay attention." The three of them became silent and looked at Albus . "Now, the three of you, along with Serena, have the ability, among other things, to be telepaths." Ronnie and Alanna looked at him, surprised.  
  
"Well, we already know that Sirius is. But how could we be?" Ron interrupted, pointing his finger at himself and Alanna.  
  
"He's right, Uncle Albus," Alanna said. "It's really obvious with Sirius. And Serena can most definitely do it."  
  
"Well, one way to show you is to just have you try," Albus said, with a glint in his eyes. "We'll all Apparate back into the house and leave you three out here. You just focus your energies to try to connect with us. And since you still can't control it right now, with the exception of Sirius," he stopped to nod his head towards Sirius. "We'll be all able to hear you." Ronnie and Alanna looked gaping at each other, while Sirius just nodded his head. One by one, the adults all Disapparated.  
  
"So what exactly do we do now?" Ronnie asked, running a hand through his flaming red hair.  
  
"Well, I guess we should just do what Uncle Albus said to do," Alanna answered.  
  
"Well then," Sirius said. "Why don't we give it a go?" Ronnie and Alanna nodded their heads.  
  
"Well first things first, you both need to concentrate," Sirius spoke to them in their heads. They were a bit surprised at first, but then realized that Sirius has begun. They stood still and closed their eyes and tried to focus.  
  
"Now, tell them something," Sirius said, again in their heads.  
  
"Mom, I'm really tired!" thought Alanna. "Can we do this tomorrow?"  
  
"Grandma, can I have another treacle tart?" Ronnie thought. Sirius bursted out laughing. Ronnie and Alanna opened their eyes, and looked at Sirius, both frowning.  
  
"Well, I am SO tired!" snapped Alanna.  
  
"And, I'm STILL hungry!" Ronnie retorted. Then they heard a series of 'pops' amid Sirius' laughter. The adults have Apparated back out to the gardens and were all laughing.  
  
"I figured you two would say something like that!" Ginny said, still laughing.  
  
"Hey! It's the Weasley Family Trait!" Fred yelled. Everyone laughed harder, Alanna and Ron right along with them.  
  
"It is getting late," Molly said, concerned. "Albus, you don't suppose..?" She looked at him eagerly, as did Sirius, Ronnie, and Alanna. Albus looked at them, and bursted into laughter. The kids had given him the puppy dog eyes.  
  
"Of course, Molly," he finally said, still laughing. "I could never resist those looks!" The children all ran up to him and nearly knocked him over as they gave him a hug.  
  
"Thanks Uncle Albus!" Alanna beamed.  
  
"Yes, thank you sir," Sirius added.  
  
"Thanks, Uncle Al," Ronnie said. Then he pulled away, and looked at Molly. "So how about it, Grandma?"  
  
Molly laughed at her grandson. "Like father, like son!" she said, shaking her head.  
  
"Hey!" Ron cried, in mock hurt as everyone laughed. Then with a childish voice, and the same puppy dog eyes, "So how about it, Mum?" Molly rolled her eyes, and laughed again.  
  
"Oh alright!" she said in pretend exasperated sigh. "Another round of treacle tart for everyone, then, off to bed!" she said, sounding as authoritative as she possibly could.  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" everyone said at the same time, with Fred and George giving her a salute.  
  
Serena slowly opened her eyes as the bright morning sun flooded into her room. She had to squint her eyes to get used to the light. She stretched herself and felt something by her feet. She sat up to see what it was. When she didn't see anything she was puzzled.  
  
"I could have sworn that there's something there!" she mumbled. She started to sweep her hands on the bed. Then she felt it and let out a gasp. "Oh my gosh! I forgot about that!" She grabbed the unseen object and settled back comfortably on the bed.  
  
"Okay, what did I say to make this invisible?" she asked herself. "Oh okay, I remember! But now I want to be able to see this again." She tried to think what would the counterspell be. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes again and stared at the 'object'.  
  
"OBJECTA VISIBLA!" she said. Then a soft flash of light seemed to have just glowed from her hands, and then the book on 'Wandless Magic' reappeared. She smiled at her feat. "I'm going to have to read this later," she said, tucking the book under the pillows. She stood up and walked to the window, running her hands through her hair. She looked out into the garden and saw the Praetorians hard at work again.  
  
"Why don't they just use magic?" Serena asked out loud, very puzzled. She looked out farther and over towards a wall, she saw him. He had his back turned on her, and again, he's shirtless. Serena sighed again dreamily.  
  
"Oh stop it girl!" she scolded herself, but couldn't help giggling. Just then, as if sensing someone was watching him, Iolaus turned and looked towards the house. He looked up and saw the vague silhouette of Serena through the window. He smiled and waved at her. Serena was surprised that Iolaus saw her from far away, but she waved back.  
  
"Good morning, beautiful!" he sent to her. He's in her head. His voice sent tingles throughout her whole body. It's a good thing Iolaus couldn't see her, because she's turned as red as a beet.  
  
"Good morning, Iolaus!" she sent back. Everyone on the grounds all stopped and looked up at her. Then they looked at Iolaus, some laughing, some throwing cat calls, and some even applauding, which made him blush. Serena put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Oops! I forgot that everyone could hear me!" she mumbled through her hand. But then she giggled and was glad to see that Iolaus wasn't mad about it, for he waved at her again.  
  
"Sorry about that!" she sent to him.  
  
"It's okay!" Iolaus sent back. "At least they know you're MY girl!" Serena stiffened. She couldn't believe that he just said that. HIS girl. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She ended up doing both. Iolaus gave her one last wave and blew her a kiss, then went back to work. Serena sighed and decided to get cleaned up and see if she could manage to get some breakfast.  
  
Iolaus pounded his shovel hard into the ground, to loosen it up. Then he scooped up the dirt and gently tossed it to one side. He wasn't really paying attention to his chore. He's deep in thought about Serena.  
  
"I hope I didn't make her mad by saying that!" he muttered to himself, as he stomped on to the shovel to get it to go deeper into the ground. But a small smile appeared on his face. He was glad that he told her. He really cared deeply for her, and although he's only met her, he thinks he's falling in love with her. He's not going to tell her that bit though. He doesn't want to scare her away. He suddenly jerked upright when he heard a 'pop' behind him. He turned, stiffly, to look at Lord Caesar. He dropped his shovel and bowed to him, as did everyone on the grounds. When he straightened up, Lord Caesar had a stiff smile on his face.  
  
"So I see that she's warming up to you, Iolaus," he said, his tone as cold as always. "Very good. That means you're doing what you are told." Iolaus just nodded at him.  
  
"I am glad that you are pleased, my lord," he said, hoping his voice sounded sincere enough.  
  
"Remember our plans, Iolaus," Caesar said to him in response. "Get her to show you her powers. Offer to help her use it, to unleash it."  
  
"Yes, my lord," Iolaus said, bowing his head.  
  
"Good," sneered Caesar. "I'll leave you to it then." With another 'pop', he's gone. Iolaus sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, a bit damp by sweat, and went back to finish his chore so he could be with Serena.  
  
CHAPTER 7: THE DREAM Sirius awoke with a start. He had a terrible dream. At least, he hoped it was a dream.  
  
"But it seemed so real," he said to himself. "I have to talk to Dad." He got up quietly, so as not to wake Ronnie and Alanna. He put his robe over his night clothes and felt for his slippers with his feet under the bed. He took a breath and slipped quietly out the door. He walked down the hall towards his parents' bedroom, which was three doors down. He knocked softly and pushed the door open, just wide enough to stick his head through.  
  
"Dad?" he called. "Are you up?" When there was no answer, he pushed the door open all the way and walked in. His parents must be up because the bed has been made. He let out a sigh and walked out, closing the door behind him.  
  
As he was walking back down the hall towards the stairs that lead to the kitchen, he tried to concentrate.  
  
"Dad?" he called with his mind.  
  
"Yes, Sirius?" Harry sent back.  
  
"Are you in the kitchen?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yes. Everyone's up, except for you kids."  
  
"Could you meet me in the living room then, please?"  
  
"Are you alright, son?"  
  
"I need to talk to you about something?"  
  
"Alright, I'll meet you there."  
  
"Thanks, Dad."  
  
"You're welcome." Then their connection ended. Sirius quickened his pace. When he reached the end of the hall, he turned the corner and walked a bit more to the stairs that lead to the living room. But instead of taking the steps, he sat on the banister and slid down on it, like he usually does when he's in a hurry. As he was nearing the end, he saw Harry waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. He straightened up and right when he reached the end, he jumped up, and did a somersault and landed on his feet in front of his father.  
  
"Did I just really do that?" he asked his father, very shocked at himself, wide eyed in disbelief. Harry just merely nodded, unable to speak at the moment, for he was stunned.  
  
"We really need to talk Dad," Sirius said, with a very serious tone.  
  
Harry nodded his head, and clapped him on the shoulder, and led him unto the couch in front of the fireplace. Sirius sat down in it and leaned back, while Harry sat on the coffee table right in front of him.  
  
"What is it, Sirius?" Harry asked starting to get concerned, seeing the look on his son's face. Sirius put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward.  
  
"Dad, I had this dream," he begun. "But it seemed so real."  
  
"What kind of dream is it?" Harry asked, brows creasing.  
  
"Well, that's the thing," Sirius said, sighing and leaning back. "I think it's something that's going to happen in the future. The near future." Harry was taken aback by this. He couldn't believe what he just heard.  
  
"Son, I think it's best if we called everyone in here," he said decidedly. Sirius just nodded his head. He hadn't planned on telling everyone in the house right now, just his dad. He didn't want to make a fool of himself if it turns out to be just a silly dream. Harry got up and headed towards the kitchen. He came back out moments later followed by all the adults, with worried looks on their faces.  
  
They all gathered around Sirius, some sitting down, some remained standing. Harry sat on the table again in front of him and Hermione and Draco on either side. Hermione held Sirius' hand in hers.  
  
"Okay now, Sirius," Harry said. "Please tell us."  
  
Sirius looked at everyone, their faces eagerly waiting for him to start. He took a deep breath, realizing that there's no getting out of it. Hermione gave his hand a squeeze and an encouraging smile. He looked up and stared out to nothing in particular and begun.  
  
"Please, no questions or anything until I'm done," he requested. Everyone nodded their agreement. "Well, the dream was about all of us, Serena, Lord Caesar, the Praetorians and fighting. There's also a guy, not much older than Serena and I. He was helping her, and he's got powers. But he got killed by Caesar. Serena was really hurt about it. She got angry and then she just started glowing, like I did." Sirius paused and looked at his audience. They all have the same shocked faces, but he was grateful when no one said anything, so he continued.  
  
"She's holding something in her hand. Some kind of medallion. Then, we all came to help her. Dad and Uncle Draco had fused into Zues and were fighting Caesar. Dad, Zeus had transformed in this dream. I couldn't see to what though. Then somehow, everyone, except me, Ronnie and Alanna, got captured. Serena had come up to us, still glowing. She said that we needed to fulfill a prophecy. That it was up to the four of us to save the world! And then..., that's when I woke up." Sirius said this last bit a little softer as if ashamed. There is more, but he didn't want to tell them just yet. He let out a breath. Then he looked up at his father, who was looking at him with so much love. He smiled weakly at Harry. He looked at everyone else and saw that they still have bewildered looks on their faces.  
  
"Albus could this be?" Minerva gasped, as she turned to look at Albus. His face was grave, the twinkle in his eyes are gone.  
  
"What could what be?" Harry said sharply. He turned to Albus. "Albus I think you had better start talking!"  
  
"Harry!" cried Hermione, hardly believing his outburst.  
  
"No Mione! He knows something!" Harry snapped at her through gritted teeth, still glaring at Albus. "I really think you should tell us now Albus. No more beating around the bush!"  
  
"Dad, it was just a dream!" Sirius said, nervously. He's never seen his father like this. Harry turned to Sirius.  
  
"No Sirius, it wasn't!" Harry said, a little sharper than he had intended, because Sirius slinked back into the couch. Hermione put her arm around him, now glaring at her husband. "That was a vision!" Harry exclaimed. "Isn't that right, Albus?" When Albus didn't answer, he continued. "Sirius, you saw an event that is going to take place soon which may cost a lot of lives, unless Albus starts talking!" Albus continued to remain silent. He's face is a mixture of emotions.  
  
"What is it Albus?" Draco said, standing up, with a bit of edge in his voice. He looked straight at the old wizard. "Tell us Albus! For Serena's sake! For all the kids' sakes!"  
  
"Alright," Albus finally spoke, sighing. "I will tell you know. I was going to wait until you've finished training. But I believe Sirius' vision changed all that."  
  
Serena pushed open the door to the kitchen slowly. She peered her head inside to look and see if there was someone there. There is only one person in there and he didn't notice her, for he had his back to her. He was busy washing the dishes in the sink.  
  
"Don't know why we can't use magic!" he grumbled angrily as he scrubbed a plate. "What's the use of being a wizard if you can't even use the magic to wash the dishes!" Serena giggled. The man turned abruptly, dropping the plate back into the soapy water, splashing himself.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" he snapped.  
  
"Er, I just walked in," Serena said, a bit nervous.  
  
"Well, whatcha want?" he asked her, annoyed. "Can't you see that I'm busy?" Serena raised her eyebrows at him and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry if I startled you," she said to him, in the same annoyed tone of voice. "I just wanted to know if I could get some breakfast. And just because your "Master" won't let you use magic to do work around here, it doesn't mean that you can get shirty with me!" She stood her ground, glared at him, with a face that she hoped masked what she really felt inside. She's shaking to her bones, but she's not going to let him have the satisfaction of letting him see it. The man stared at her for a second, sizing her up and broke into a smile.  
  
"What are you smiling at?" she asked, irritated.  
  
"You're not as vulnerable and scared a little girl as Iolaus had described you!" he told her, as he shook his head. Serena was taken aback by this.  
  
"Iolaus said that?" she asked, easing up her position.  
  
"Yes, he did," he answered, with a smile that reached his eyes. "And he also said that you're the most beautiful girl he's ever laid eyes on!" Serena put her hand on her mouth. She felt her ears get hot, so she turned around, to block him from seeing her blush.  
  
"If you ask me, I think that boy is smitten with you!" he chuckled. Serena whipped back around, mouth hung open and eyes wide.  
  
"H-how c-could y-you say that?" she stuttered. "He just barely met me!" The man clapped his hands, threw his head back and howled with laughter. Serena stomped her foot and clenched her hands into fists at her side.  
  
"Ahh, puppy love!" he mocked, shaking his head.  
  
"Please quit teasing me!" she pleaded. The man stopped laughing as he looked at Serena. She looked like she's about to cry, from anger or embarrassment, he couldn't tell.  
  
"So umm," he said, clearing his throat. "You wanted some breakfast, did you not?" Serena just nodded her head. She wasn't sure if this man was done teasing her or not, so she didn't dare say anything.  
  
"Well, er, why don't sit over at the table and I'll prepare you some?" he told her, gesturing towards the center of the kitchen. Serena nodded again, and with a barely audible whisper said, "Thank you," and walked over to the table.  
  
"So, umm, what is your name, sir?" Serena asked, as she sat down.  
  
"Ephyclis," he answered, as he turned on the stove and put a frying pan on the burner. "Ephyclis Pendragon."  
  
"Pendragon?" Serena asked, quizzically. "Are you related to Iolaus, then?"  
  
"He's my nephew," he said, smiling at her. He walked over to the refrigerator and took out some eggs, bacon, butter, and juice. He put the items on the counter next to the stove, then went to the cupboard and grabbed a glass. He poured some juice into it and walked over to the table. He handed the glass to Serena, who thanked him with a smile.  
  
"So how do you like your eggs?" he asked her, as he cracked one open on the pan.  
  
Everyone looked at Dumbledore with much anticipation. Draco and Harry were a bit more eager, because their kids have both been attacked. Although Sirius was not captured, Serena was. Albus looked at Harry and Draco and nodded his head.  
  
"As you all know, that a new threat has come to us." He begun. "Lord Caesar was a Black Magus from a thousand years ago. He managed to get a hold of the Elixir of Life when he was looking for recruits. He stumbled upon my friend, Nicholas Flamel, when he made the Sorcerer's Stone."  
  
"So that's how he's managed to live this long!" Ron interrupted. Albus nodded.  
  
"Yes, Ron. Nicholas was injured by the Praetorians on their quest to steal the Stone. They only managed to take a lot of the Elixir of Life and went back to Caesar with them. Since then, Nicholas had hidden the Stone for fear of same thing happening again. And it did. With Voldemort. He became a Praetorian while he was growing up in the orphanage, and was going to school at Hogwarts. Of course, his hatred for his father and all Muggle- borns had made him power hungry. And that's the kind of trait Caesar looks for in his subjects. But Caesar also knew that Riddle was someone who would not be content on working for someone."  
  
"Caesar realized that Riddle had gained powerful. Too powerful. He was afraid that he would overthrow him and take over his reign. So that is why he sent him to kill Harry in the first place."  
  
"What?" Harry exclaimed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. All this time, he thought that the reason Voldemort was after him was because he was the Heir of Gryffindor.  
  
"There was a prophecy, Harry," Albus said, calmly. He knew that that was going to be Harry's question. "A prophecy that foretold the demise of the Black Magus. It was said that a very powerful wizard will be born, and will be tried to kill, but will survive for the power he possessed in him, was too strong to be deterred by evil. That was why Voldemort failed to kill you that night, Harry. And all the other times that he's tried to kill you." Harry looked at him stunned.  
  
"But what has this have to do with the children Albus?" he asked.  
  
"Ahh. There was more to the prophecy," Albus answered, raising a finger. "The prophecy also stated, that there will be four wizards that will be born later on that will have extraordinary powers that will aid the White Magus. These wizards will be born exactly three months apart, and that their powers combined will be enormous. Not as powerful as the White Magus', but enough to help bring the Black Magus down."  
  
"So you mean to say, that this prophecy, was talking about us?" Harry asked, stunned.  
  
"Yes, Harry," Albus answered. "And the reason Serena and Sirius were targeted first, was because they are the two main critical elements of the power these four children share."  
  
Everyone was speechless. No one could believe that this prophecy was the one which was now disrupting their lives.  
  
"But what power does Serena have?" Sirius asked. "And me, Ronnie and Alanna, for that matter? We're just kids!" Hermione gave him a squeeze and kissed the top of his head.  
  
"The prophecy stated that there was an object, a medallion in fact, that holds the key to that power," Albus continued. "This medallion, when touched at the four points, by the four chosen wizards, will unleash the powers within these four, thus overcoming a lot. They would be able to transform into more powerful wizards and witches, be given weapons with powers blessed by the gods. And they will be able to summon the guardians of the elements. These four wizards would be able to command them at will."  
  
"WHAT?" everyone exclaimed in unison, surprised  
  
"You mean to tell me, that these kids will have guardians to command?" Arthur asked, perplexed.  
  
"Yes," Albus answered, nodding. He's amused by how this news affected everyone by surprise.  
  
"But Albus," Hermione said. "Gods? Guardians? I thought they were just myths!"  
  
"A lot of people thought that Merlin was just a myth," Albus said to her, smiling.  
  
"But hold on, hold on!" said Harry, putting his hands on his hips. "Okay, these kids will transform, summon guardians, have weapons that were blessed by gods, appear out of nowhere. Why won't that be enough to stop Caesar?"  
  
"Harry, when you and Draco fuse, your exceedingly strong powers combined with his will be extreme!" Albus said, nodding to Draco. "You will still be the dominant one, of course, but the both of you, as Zeus, will be able to summon the strongest of the guardians - The Knights of the Round."  
  
Everyone was speechless. Harry and Draco looked at each other, shocked at first, then both broke into grins.  
  
"But I still don't get it, Uncle Albus," Sirius cried, standing up and walking up to him. "Where is this medallion? How are we supposed to get it? And how do we know when to use these powers?"  
  
Albus just smiled at him and put both his hands on his shoulders.  
  
"The gods will guide you through it, Sirius. You'll just have to trust in your abilities."  
  
"Huh?" Sirius asked, perplexed. Albus chuckled softly.  
  
"Sirius, your powers will be unleashed, as will Serena's, Ronnie's and Alanna's. When your powers are combined through the medallion, the gods will be there to help you and make sure that you aid the White Magus defeat the evil Black Magus."  
  
"But where is medallion?" asked Sirius again.  
  
"The medallion is being protected by a guardian, a wizard," Albus told him. "No one knows who it is. Or where he is. But it was said that the guarding of the medallion has been passed down from generation to generation until the prophecy has been brought to light. And no doubt that Caesar's appearance had indeed brought the prophecy to life."  
  
"So you mean to say that it could really be anyone who has this thing?" Draco asked. "And how are we supposed to find him?"  
  
"It will be hard, as Caesar knows of the medallion's existence," Albus said solemnly.  
  
"What?" Harry exclaimed. "Oh, great!"  
  
"But I believe it'll be easier than we would expect to find it, Harry," Albus said, noticing he's frustration. "I believe Sirius said that he saw a medallion in his vision?"  
  
Everyone looked at Sirius, who became uncomfortable with the attention. He did recall seeing the medallion. Then his face lit up.  
  
"That means that the medallion is near!" he shouted.  
  
"Yes, that's a possibility," Albus said, smiling. "But how near, that's the question."  
  
Just then, they heard a screech coming from the window. There was a fluffy brown owl perched on the sill. It was carrying the day's copy of the Daily Prophet. Moony, who was closest, went to retrieve it. After he had put thirteen sickles in its money pouch, the owl gave a hoot and flew away. Moony unrolled the wizard newspaper and looked at the headline news. His eyes got wide, and he let out a whistle.  
  
"What is it Moony?" Padfoot asked, getting curious. Moony looked up at them, and sighed before reading.  
  
"CHILDREN MISSING, ATTACKS REPORTED," Moony read. Everyone gasped, and waited with bated breaths for him to continue.  
  
"What?" Draco and Harry said together. Moony continued reading.  
  
"In the last thirty-six hours, reports have been coming in from all over the wizarding world about children being taken from their homes. All the children, incidentally enough, are all between the ages of eleven and twelve. No one knows why the children were being taken. There have been eyewitness accounts saying that the attackers/kidnappers all wore heavy white robes with black trimmings, and the men all have long, straight platinum blond hair. There were also reports of a symbol left at where the child was taken from. The symbol is of a dragon with a serpent coiled around it. It has also been reported that those who tried to fight the attackers had heard the words "Praetorians" and "Children of the ABYSS." The name "Lord Caesar" had also been heard. No more word from whether or not any of these children have been harmed in any way."  
  
Everyone was silent as Moony folded the paper back up. Sirius started sobbing, and Hermione hugged him as she felt the tears from her eyes also.  
  
"Those poor children!" Molly cried. "Why those children?"  
  
"No doubt that Caesar was trying to find out if the other two chosen wizards were out there," Albus answered. Harry's head jerked up.  
  
"You mean, that he doesn't know about Ronnie or Alanna?" he asked. When Albus shook his head no, a smile crept into Harry's face.  
  
"This just might be the advantage we need," he said. "Ron, Ginny, go wake them up."  
  
"We already are!" Everyone jumped. They all turned to look over by the kitchen and saw Ronnie and Alanna, still in their night clothes. Ronnie got an angry look on his face, and Alanna had been crying.  
  
"We heard everything!" Alanna cried running to Ginny, who hugged her tight.  
  
"Shh, Ally," Ginny said, trying to comfort her daughter. "It'll be alright, you'll see." She looked up to Harry for some help. But Harry has been preoccupied by thinking about what plan of action to take.  
  
"I'm willing to fight!" Ronnie said, indignantly. "Those poor children did not have to suffer because some mental wizard was looking for us!" Everyone was shocked by his outburst. Ronnie was usually the one who tries to keep Sirius and Alanna out of trouble. "Sirius, we have to train! NOW!"  
  
Sirius looked at his best friend with a new found respect and courage. He smiled and nodded his head and walked up to him. They stood looking at each other in the eyes for a while, then, as if reaching an understanding, they nodded their heads and shook each others hand. The adults could only wonder what had happened. Then Sirius turned to talk to them.  
  
"Ronnie and I had decided that if we're going to save these children and Serena, we need to start training right now," he said, sounding as grown up as he possibly could. Everyone looked at each other.  
  
"Er, Ronnie?" Susan said. "I didn't hear you say anything."  
  
"I talked to him in his head, mum," Ronnie answered. Gasps were heard all around. Then Ronnie turned and looked at Alanna, who is still in her mother's arms. She pulled away suddenly and looked at him and Sirius, looking very much shocked. But then she nodded her head.  
  
"I'm in!" she said, out loud. Everyone was a loss for words. They couldn't believe that they had managed their telepathic abilities so suddenly. Albus, for one, was just beaming.  
  
"I believe, that it's safe to say, that our three of the four chosen wizards are ready for training," he said, with much pride.  
  
Serena went out to the grounds after her breakfast. She had thanked Ephyclis for preparing it for her and thought to herself that she actually liked him. When she got to the grounds she used her hand to shade her eyes from the sun, and scanned the grounds for Iolaus. She saw him leaning onto a water fountain with a mermaid on it holding some kind of huge seashell with the water coming out of it. Iolaus had his head in the water. He then pulled out and shook the excess water off, and flipped his sopping wet hair over and onto his back. Water was still dripping from it, and since he didn't have his shirt on, soaked his back and the waist band of his pants. He turned around and leaned on the basin of the fountain, and with his hands, rubbed his face and pushed some hair back onto his head. He then looked up and saw Serena by a shrub, looking at him. He smiled, and jogged up to her. Serena smiled back and waved. But when she saw him coming towards her, she held her breath as her stomach did a flip-flop.  
  
"Oh Merlin!" she said to herself. "My, he's gorgeous!" Iolaus looked like he's shining because the sunlight was being reflected from his wet torso. When he reached her, he did something that completely took her by surprise. Iolaus, totally oblivious to the fact he's dripping wet, gave Serena a hug, getting her dress damp, and one side of her face wet. Then before completely letting her go, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, a little close to her lips. Serena almost melted in his arms. She couldn't say anything, fearing that she might choke on the words, so she just smiled at him.  
  
"How are you gorgeous?" Iolaus asked, taking her hand in his hand. Serena felt a jolt of electricity from his touch travel throughout her body.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks," she answered, smiling up at him. She knew that she's in a place where she shouldn't be comfortable, for a dark lord wanted to extract her powers. Powers that she hadn't comprehend. But, when she's around Iolaus, she felt comfortable, safe even. He noticed the thoughtful look on her face, so he lifted her chin up with his fingers and looked at her.  
  
"What's wrong, Serena?" he asked, concerned. Serena let out a sigh, and broke away from him and went to a bench under a big, shady tree, not far from the fountain. She stared at the statue of the mermaid, watching the water come out of the seashell.  
  
"Serena, please talk to me," Iolaus pleaded, as he sat down next to her. Serena could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but tried to control them from falling. She turned to look at Iolaus.  
  
"Why am I still here, Iolaus?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "Why hasn't Lord Caesar taken my powers from me? What is he waiting for?" She looked down on the ground. Iolaus didn't know how to answer her. He didn't know how to tell her that Lord Caesar is intending for him to have Serena unleash her powers.  
  
"I don't know why he hasn't done anything, Serena," Iolaus lied. "I don't know why, or what, he's waiting for. I don't know why he hasn't done to you what he had done to the others." Serena's head jerked up.  
  
"Others?" she asked, stunned. "What do you mean, 'others'? He's taken other children? Where are they? And why does he want our powers?" She said all these really fast, her anger flaring up. She couldn't believe that there are more children here. But how come she hasn't seen any of them? She looked at Iolaus, whose face has turned pale.  
  
"Serena, let it go," he said, firmly. "I've said too much. Just be thankful that you are allowed to roam around." Serena stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"Why won't you tell me, Iolaus?" she demanded, standing up, tears now flowing freely. "What has happened to those poor children?" Iolaus let out a sigh, and shook his head. He hadn't meant for her to know about the others. He didn't want her to know that he was one of the Praetorians that took her from her father. And that he helped abduct those other children.  
  
"Listen, Serena," he said, getting up. "Just let it go. The less you know, the better off you will be." He waited for her to answer. But she just looked at him, with her angry, tearful face. He cupped her face in his hands. "Serena, please stop crying," he said softly, as he put his forehead on hers. "I promise this will make sense to you, soon."  
  
"Tell me something, Iolaus," she said. She looked him straight in the eyes. "Did you help take these children from their homes?" Iolaus was taken aback. His face paled. He didn't know how to answer her. He looked away from her, and run a hand through his long hair. When he didn't answer, Serena took his silence as that. Serena shook her head.  
  
"Why, Iolaus?" she asked, voice choking. "How could you? Were you there also when I was taken?" Iolaus snapped his head up to look at her. Serena gasped. "And I thought I could trust you!" With that, she ran from him. She didn't stop or looked back, even when he begged her to. She ran all the way up to her room, and said the same locking charm on the door. She threw herself on the bed and cried her heart out.  
  
"Now, you three," Albus said, pointing his finger at Sirius, Ronnie, and Alanna, who gave him their full attention. "You have a strong bond that will help you call out your powers. A bond that only true friendship and love can create and share." They all have gone outside in the gardens. The news in the Daily Prophet had given everyone new determination to work on their powers and skills to help save, not just Serena, but all the other children that were taken as well.  
  
"Do you all remember when we were at the Leaky Cauldron?" Ronnie asked, looking up at Albus. When the old wizard nodded, Ronnie continued. "Well, Sirius started glowing, and his appearance changed, right?" Everyone nodded. "Well, can Alanna and I do that, too?" Albus smiled at the boy.  
  
"Why don't the three of you get together and try," he simply said, eyes twinkling. Sirius, Ronnie and Alanna looked at each other and nodded. They formed a small circle, facing each other. The adults formed a big circle around them.  
  
"Now, put your hands together," Albus instructed. The trio did as they were told. "Focus your energies and concentrate. You three must all come to an agreement and understanding about the power. Set your goals." The children nodded, and looked at each other.  
  
"Think of Serena," Sirius sent his two friends.  
  
"And those other children!" Ronnie sent.  
  
"And think of defeating the evil lord!" Alanna sent. The mention of the 'evil lord' seemed to have done the trick. Suddenly, a light surrounded the three children. It grew bigger, and seemed to have summoned the wind, because their hair was getting blown. The light grew brighter and bigger and seemed to have engulfed the children. The light made a blinding flash that made all the adults either, cover their eyes, or turn away. When they looked back at the children, they all gasped.  
  
Sirius' hair had turned platinum blond, and his eyes became silver, like before. Ronnie's hair turned jet black, and Alanna's turned golden blond. Both their eyes had turned silver as well. There seemed to be a light surrounding each of them, that glowed and showed intimidation. They turned to Albus, who seemed to be the only one who wasn't shocked at these transformations. . "Now, would you care to demonstrate?" he asked them, amusement in his voice. They all broke into a smile, and walked apart from each other, maintaining their circle.  
  
Ronnie was the first to make a move. He lifted his hand, palm up and conjured a ball of flame. He held it there until it grew into the size of a quaffle. Then he tossed it to the ground and the flame looked like it broke apart. Then Alanna raised her hand and pointed at the flames. What looked like snowflakes came out of the tip of her finger, and shot to the flames, freezing them on the spot. Then Sirius walked up and picked up the frozen flame. He blew gently at it. It suddenly lifted off his hands. The frozen flame had come to life. It had became a bird, a phoenix bird. It flew around the circle for a while, as the adults watched it in awe. The women were all in tears, and the men just looked at the bird with mouths hanging open. The phoenix, let out a wail that sounded like a song. It made everyone smile, as if something heavy had been lifted off their shoulders. Then as the song ended, the bird flew to Albus, and perched itself on his shoulder.  
  
"Amazing!" he said, as he looked at the bird. "This was just unexpected!" Everyone else just stood there speechless from witnessing this great phenomenon. The children assumed their original positions, then, slowly the lights that surrounded each of them slowly faded, as they turned back to normal.  
  
"I don't know what to do, Uncle!" Iolaus cried. He had gone to the kitchen to talk with his uncle, Ephyclis, when Serena had ran away from him angry. "I don't think that she'll ever speak to me again."  
  
"Iolaus," Ephyclis said. "You're just going to have to tell her the truth." Iolaus sighed, and he leaned back on the chair and covered his face with his hands.  
  
"She pretty much figured out that I helped to bring her and the other children here," he told him. "And she ran away from me. I know she's hurt and I don't blame her for being angry with me."  
  
"She's a very bright young girl, Iolaus," Ephyclis pointed out. "I felt a very strong magical aura around her. And Caesar's right about one thing. You can help her with her powers. You can help her understand them, Iolaus. And to control them." Then, he became quiet, and looked directly into his nephew's eyes. "And if the prophecy's correct, she can help defeat him!" he sent to Iolaus.  
  
CHAPTER 8: STRIFE "How are you feeling now, my lord?" a man called Strife, asked.  
  
"I feel a new surge of power in me, Strife," Lord Caesar said. "But not one of those children were the ones that we're looking for."  
  
"But, what about the girl, sir?" Strife asked.  
  
"Ahh, she is most definitely one of the four chosen ones," Lord Caesar said, icily. "Her powers would indeed be a great addition to mine. But it will not do me any good unless the other three have been found."  
  
"Yes, my lord," Strife said, bowing. "Permission to take over this mission, my lord." Lord Caesar laughed evily.  
  
"Permission granted, my loyal servant," he said, sneering. "Bring me the other three. I can feel their presence, but do not know their exact whereabouts, except for one. Sirius Potter." Strife's head jerked up.  
  
"Potter?" he asked, surprised. "Any relation to Harry Potter, sir?" Lord Caesar nodded his head.  
  
"Yes. Sirius is Harry's son." An evil smile spread on Strife's face.  
  
"I will get Sirius Potter for you, my lord," Strife vowed. "And, I just might throw in Harry Potter's head for fun!"  
  
Everyone gathered out in the gardens again after lunch. It had been decided that Sirius, Ronnie, and Alanna, although have shown great powers, would still need to know simple spells; like the levitation charm, recovery spell, disarming spell, and everything else that they would have to go to Hogwarts for to be trained. But these should all be a cakewalk for the three, especially after that demonstration that morning.  
  
While Padfoot, Moony and Snape worked with the children, Albus and Minerva worked with Harry and Draco. The rest of them worked on defense charms and spells and hexes, that of which they haven't have had to use for twenty years.  
  
"Now, Harry, Draco," Albus said. "Would you please fuse for us again?" Harry and Draco nodded and walked a ways from them. They stood facing each other, both determined. As they tried to focus their energies to one another, they put their wands together and said the words for the Fusion. "FUSION GOTAME!" they yelled together. The same purple, red and yellow light slowly emerged from them. It grew bigger and brighter as it surrounded both of them. Everyone stopped whatever it was that they were doing to watch Harry and Draco become one. Within seconds, they both disappeared, and Zeus was standing where they were, looking as intimidating as ever. His hair, blond with black streaks, eyes, one green and one blue, and his sword shaped wand, this time it was slung on his back, in a golden scabbard.  
  
"Hi! Did you all miss me?" he asked, his voice as Harry and Draco together, and his smile crooked and mischievous.  
  
"Now, Zeus," Albus said, smiling. "We would like a demonstration, if you'd please."  
  
"My pleasure!" Zeus said, eyes twinkling. He balled his hands into fists, and a surge of energy surrounded him. He then levitated off the ground, and hovered for a moment. Then with a smile, took off in flight.  
  
"Oh, my gosh!" Hermione gasped, as she, along with the others, watched as Zeus circled the sky above them.  
  
"No broomsticks!" Ron said, barely a whisper. He knew that Harry loved to fly. He had a big grin on his face as he watched his best friends were up there fulfilling their dreams. Then Zeus stopped in mid-air. He looked up and raised one hand. Then the sky turned dark, completely covering the sun. Then, everyone heard a rumbling noise above them.  
  
"Was that thunder I heard?" Moony asked, shocked. And as if he was heard, the noise grew louder, making them all finch, and the kids covered their ears. Then right after the thunder, came a big flash of lightning, hitting the ground, not far from the expectators, leaving a scorch mark. Everyone stood there, gaping in awe, unbelieving this great phenomena right before their eyes.  
  
Then, Zeus flew over the lake and hovered above it, a few feet. He raised both hands, shoulder height at first. The water started to splash, as the waves started growing stronger, bigger every second. Then Zeus lifted his hands over his head. The waves rose high off the ground and started to form a twist. It grew bigger, but stayed twisting in one spot, with the thunder and lightning making it look more intimidating. Everyone was just speechless, even Albus. He didn't expect this much power from Zeus.  
  
The twister started to move. It circled Zeus for a moment, then it slowly begun to shrink, until the lake returned back to what it was, calm and peaceful. As Zeus started to fly back to the others, the dark clouds, thunder and lightning started to disappear. When he landed in front of everyone, the sunlight has returned. The light surrounding him started to fade. Everyone clapped their hands, still in shock of what they have witnessed. Zeus had a very proud smile on his face.  
  
"Splendid!" Albus praised, still clapping his hands.  
  
"Wow! That was awesome, Har.Dra.I mean Zeus!" Ron exclaimed, while everyone laughed. "I need to get used to calling you that!" Zeus looked at him, with that mischievous smile. Ron noticed, and his face got pale.  
  
"Uh-oh!" he said meekly. Then before he could do anything, he was swept off his feet by Zeus. "Ahh!" he screamed. Zeus laughed at him.  
  
"Relax, Ron!" he yelled at him, as he continued fly, holding Ron by his arms. "Think of happy thoughts! Concentrate!" Ron gulped. As nervous as he was, he tried to think of happy thoughts.  
  
"Just don't let go of me!" he yelled at Zeus, who just chuckled. Ron closed his eyes as he thought of all the happy things that had happened in his life. He thought of witnessing his two best friends getting married, him falling in love with and marrying Susan, his enemy joining their side and becoming one of his best friends, defeating Lord Voldemort, their children, and their forever growing friendships. All these thoughts seemed to have a great feeling of weightlessness. He opened his eyes and looked down and was shocked at what he saw.  
  
Ron saw everyone looking up at him, waving and cheering him on, including.ZEUS! Panic went through him, and he felt himself descending, so he calmed down. When he did, he felt himself lift up again and a huge grin appeared on his face.  
  
"Whohoo!" he yelled, as he spread his arms out on either side of him. "This is fantastic!"  
  
He flew around everyone, making loops as he did. Everyone was clapping their hands and cheering him on. He closed his eyes again, feeling the wind in his face.  
  
"Isn't this great, Ron?" a voice said next to him, making him open his eyes. Harry was flying alongside of him, smiling.  
  
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed. "Where's Draco?"  
  
"Right here, buddy!" Ron turned to look at Draco, who was also flying with him with a great, big smile on his face. The three of them flew around for a while, making a series of loops and turns. They were all ecstatic about learning this new skill. As they rounded up to go back down, they heard a scream.  
  
They all looked at each other and hurried over to their families. When they were about to reach them, they stopped suddenly. There on the grounds were a bunch of Praetorians surrounding everyone. Someone was lying on the ground. It was Arthur. Molly was down on her knees with him, shielding him, with tears in her eyes.  
  
"You are NOT taking these children without a fight!" they heard Padfoot yell, his wand out, pointed at some of the unexpected, uninvited guests. They were all huddled back to back, with the children in the middle.  
  
Fury flared up in Harry, Ron, and Draco. They all nodded at each other, reaching some sort of understanding, and flew into three different directions and landed behind the intruders, who seemed to have not noticed them. They all took their wands out, and pointed it at them.  
  
"Now, where is Harry Potter?" asked a man, all clad in black, with a long cape billowing in the wind. He had his wand pointed directly at Albus.  
  
"I'm right behind you!" Harry answered angrily. The man stiffened up. Then a smile crept on his face and turned to Harry.  
  
"EXPELLIARMUS!" he yelled, as he turned around. Harry was taken aback as his wand flew out of his hands into the man's. The man gave a small chuckle as he pointed his wand at Harry.  
  
"Not so brave without your wand now, eh, Potter?" he sneered. He looked at Harry, expecting him to cower, but was surprised when Harry smiled.  
  
"Actually, I don't need my wand," Harry smirked. Before the man knew what had happened, ropes came out of nowhere and bound him, making him drop his and Harry's wands, before falling backwards on the ground. The other Praetorians started throwing curses at Harry. But he was way too quick for them. Harry had chanted a reflective spell around him, so all the curses thrown at him bounced off the shield and hit its casters. Ron, Draco, and the others jumped in and subdued the rest of them. Hagrid went around and arrested the enemies' wands, while Ron, Draco, Moony, Padfoot, Snape, Neville and Viktor conjured ropes and bound the fallen Praetorians. All the captured were bunched together, and everyone circled around them. Albus had restored Arthur back to normal, and he was not a happy camper. Harry then raised his hands and chanted a spell. A bright yellow light appeared and surrounded everyone as it formed some kind of light dome above them.  
  
"Harry, what is this?" Hermione asked, surprised.  
  
"This should keep Caesar from trying to kill off his men before we could question them," Harry answered her, looking at the black clad man, eyes flashing. Harry's friends let out some whistles and small chuckles, apparently still in awe of all the things he has attained. Harry then lifted his hand behind him.  
  
"ACCIO VERITESARUM!" he yelled. Everyone turned towards the mansion. They saw a purple vial come flying out the door into Harry's hand.  
  
The man in black looked scared. He knew what that potion was. He didn't want to say anything that will cause him to betray and face the wrath of Lord Caesar. But right now, he didn't have any choice.  
  
Harry gave the vial to Severus, who walked up to the man in black.  
  
"Take this," he said sternly. The man just shook his head no. Moony walked up behind him, pulled his head back and forced his mouth open. Severus poured some of the potion down his throat and Moony made sure he swallowed all of it. The man's eyes rolled back a bit, and he gave a little shiver. Moony and Severus stepped back, both smiling. The potion was working.  
  
Harry walked in front of the man. He got on one knee, resting his arm on the other. He looked at the man square in the eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice still have the fury in it. The man tried to defy the effects of the truth potion, but lost.  
  
"My name is Strife," he said, impassively.  
  
"What are you doing here, and what did YOU want with ME?" Harry asked again, his eyes flashing. Strife flinced.  
  
"I was sent by Lord Caesar to capture your son, and bring him and the other children to him," he answered. Everyone just shook their heads. They already knew that. "And I wanted you, to kill you!"  
  
Everyone gasped. Harry just looked at him menacingly.  
  
"And why do you want to kill me?" he asked, through gritted teeth. He's trying to control the impending fury that was building up inside him.  
  
"Revenge. I want to avenge my best friend's murder," Strife said. Harry was confused. He had no clue as to what this man was saying.  
  
"And who was this friend of yours that I supposedly murdered?" he asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, but he was curious to know.  
  
"Tom Riddle. Voldemort," Strife said, coldly. Harry was aghast. He got up slowly, still glaring at Strife.  
  
"It's been over twenty years," Harry told Strife. "Why are you just now seeking revenge?'  
  
"Because my master, Lord Caesar, told me to," Strife said, monotonously. "He wanted me to wait until you've reached your full power as the White Magus." Everyone was stunned. Wasn't there anything that didn't get past Lord Caesar?  
  
"What made him think that I am a White Magus?" Harry asked, curious.  
  
"He was there when you were battling Voldemort," Strife answered. This came as a shock to everyone. "You showed tremendous amount of power, so tremendous that only a White Magus possess. Lord Caesar had heard of that kind of power and had long been obsessed of obtaining it. He was really impressed when you transformed into a lion, when you were fighting Voldemort. And then, when you transformed into a Phoenix, to heal all your wounded friends and allies. Only a White Magus can transform to more than just one animal. Actually, Potter, you're more than just a White Magus. You're the greatest sorcerer the wizarding world has ever known.  
  
Harry was stunned. He didn't realize that he's that powerful! He looked at Albus, who looked back at him, with his face impassive. Obviously, he knew about all this, but neglected to tell Harry.  
  
"So, if you knew that Harry was that powerful, why was he trying to pick a fight with him?" Ron blurted out, obviously very confused about it.  
  
"There's a prophecy that says if a Black Magus was ever to defeat a White Magus, the whole world will be at his beck and call. Lord Caesar wants to be the ruler of the world, both wizard and Muggle," Strife answered.  
  
"And if Harry defeats Caesar?" Draco asked.  
  
"If the White Magus triumphs over the Black Magus, he will become a god."  
  
"WHAT?" everyone exclaimed. This answer was unexpected.  
  
"What do you mean, a 'god'?" Hermione asked, totally perplexed.  
  
"According to the prophecy, all the gods will come forward and reward the White Magus, if he defeats the Black Magus. They will offer him immortality and anything else that he wishes. But if he chooses to stay mortal, he will still be honored as a 'god', and will be well protected if ever another evil rises. He will have the power of any gods to command, and will have the responsibility of keeping his world safe, healthy, and happy."  
  
"But what does all this have to do with the children?" Molly asked.  
  
"Lord Caesar believed that if he captures all the undeveloped powers of young magical children, he can enhance his own powers, and maybe be able to defeat the White Magus," Strife said, looking at her. "The four chose wizards, if ever were turned over to the dark side, can become his most powerful allies. But if he extracts their powers after they've been unleashed and add them to his own, he could become just as powerful as the White Magus. As far as I know, he's got one of the four chosen ones already. But he needs her to unleash her powers fully first, because she's got the most tremendous ones that would be very dangerous to extract from her."  
  
"Serena?" Draco cried out, tears welling up in his eyes. "So she's not hurt? She's okay?"  
  
"Yes, your daughter is safe, for now," Strife assured him. Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "But did you know that your daughter has the power of the Golden Hind?"  
  
"The Golden Hind?" Draco exclaimed, straightening up. "But I thought that was just a myth!"  
  
"To the world of Muggles, yes," Strife said matter-of-factly. "But to the wizarding world, no. Tell me Draco. Why do you think that your wife was so powerful as a healer?"  
  
"I-I don't know," Draco said stammering. "I just always thought that she was gifted with that power. Along with being able to be a telepath." Everyone was wondering what Strife was going to reveal next.  
  
"Draco, your wife was a direct descendant of the Golden Hind," Strife said. "And, was the last of their kind." All of them were shocked. Draco was speechless.  
  
"And did Voldemort knew this?" he asked seethingly. Strife nodded. Draco put his face in his hands and fell on his knees.  
  
"The blood of the Golden Hind is the only thing that can kill a god, or a White Magus," Strife said with a sneer.  
  
Draco and Harry's heads jerked up.  
  
"But Cho's dead now!" Draco said through gritted teeth. "And Serena was born after Voldemort was killed by Harry! Unless." Draco's voice trailed off. His faced paled.  
  
"Yes, Draco," Strife said with an evil grin. "Your father, Lucius, was indeed a Praetorian." Everyone was shocked. Nobody knew about this.  
  
"Was that how he escaped Azkaban?" Draco asked. "Caesar broke him out?" He looked at Strife who just merely nodded. Draco let out a sigh as he got up.  
  
"But, like a said. Cho is dead now. So Caesar's going to have fight Harry the old fashioned way.to the death!" Strife laughed coldly at this.  
  
"Are you really that daft, Draco?" he said, still laughing. "Didn't you hear what I said? Cho was the last of her kind?"  
  
"Yes, I heard that!" Draco said, his temper flaring up.  
  
"Well, now your daughter IS the last!" Strife said with a hiss. Draco's face paled.  
  
"Was that why Lucius wanted Serena when she was born?" he asked, choking back tears. "Not as Voldemort's heir, but for Caesar? Was that why he murdered my wife?"  
  
"Yes," Strife said with a sinister smile. "Caesar broke Lucius out of Azkaban and ordered him to retrieve the baby. He was going to use Serena's blood to kill Harry."  
  
Draco couldn't take anymore. Before anyone could stop him, he lunged at Strife and punched him square in the face, rendering him unconscious. Then he let out an ear piercing scream that scared everyone. Then a light surrounded him, and he just took flight.  
  
"Draco! No! Stop!" Harry called after him. He clenched his fists and the same light surrounded him and he took off after Draco.  
  
"Oh dear!" Molly gasped. Everyone was a lost for words. All these had come as a complete shock.  
  
"You don't suppose Draco went to the Riddle Mansion?" Ron asked suddenly. Everyone turned to look at him.  
  
"This changes everything!" Padfoot said. "In the state he's in, I'm positive that's where he went off to!"  
  
Everyone started talking at once. They all want to follow Harry and Draco to help them.  
  
"Wait!" Sirius suddenly exclaimed. "Dad caught up with Uncle Draco! He said that he managed to stop him. They're in Diagon Alley right now." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Well, if Moony, Hagrid, Krum, and Snape would accompany me, we'll take these sorry lot over to Azkaban!" Padfoot said, jerking his thumb towards the prisoners.  
  
"Leave Strife behind," Albus said. "There're still more questions left unanswered."  
  
Serena had locked herself inside her room, buried under the covers, curled up like a baby. She had cried herself to sleep. A knock on the door woke her up. She stirred slowly, pushing the covers off of her. She heard the knock again and sat up.  
  
"Who is it?" she said groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  
  
"It's me, Iolaus," said the voice from the other side of the door. Serena's head jerked up. Iolaus was the last person she wanted to see right now.  
  
"Go away!" she yelled, tears starting to fill up her eyes again. "Leave me alone!"  
  
"No Serena," Iolaus said, voice sounding irritated. "I will not leave you alone! Now open the bloody door!" Iolaus had hit the door with his hand, which made Serena jump.  
  
"No!" she said defiantly, blinking back the tears.  
  
"Fine!" Iolaus said. The next thing Serena knew, Iolaus had popped into her room. She glared at him.  
  
"Get-out-of-my-room," she said through gritted teeth.  
  
"No Serena!" Iolaus said, glaring back at her. "I will not leave and you will hear me out!"  
  
"Urgh!" Serena grunted. She plopped herself back into bed and pulled the covers back onto her. Iolaus just smiled and shook his head. He walked over to the bed and yanked the blanket off of Serena.  
  
"Hey!" she yelled, sitting up, and glaring up at him.  
  
"Now is not the time to act childish, Serena!" Iolaus yelled back.  
  
"Don't you dare tell me how to act!" she spat at him, standing up, crossing her arms on her chest. "You expect me to just forgive and forget?"  
  
"No Serena. I don't expect you to just forgive and forget!" Iolaus said, throwing the blanket on the bed. "But you have to listen to what I have to say!"  
  
"Why should I listen to you Iolaus?" Serena said, still fighting back the tears, and putting her arms down on her sides, fists clenched. "Everything you've ever told me had been lies! I don't want to hear anymore lies!"  
  
"I never lied to you, Serena!" Iolaus said softly. "I just never told you! And believe me, I didn't want any part of it!"  
  
"But you did have a part in it, Iolaus!" Serena said scathingly, her words like knives stabbing him in the heart. "You didn't exactly refuse did you? You still went along and committed all these heinous things! You helped take those children away from their homes, their families! You took me away from my father! I could never ever forgive you for that! NOW GET OUT!"  
  
"Serena, please!" Iolaus pleaded, reaching out for her.  
  
"I said, get out!" she yelled again, raising her hands. As she did, the door opened up on its own.  
  
"Serena, pl-," Iolaus started again, but Serena didn't let him finish.  
  
"GET OUT!" she shrieked, her eyes flashing.  
  
Iolaus flinched at this. Some kind of light started glowing around Serena. Her eyes had turned silver. Iolaus realized her powers were starting to reveal themselves. He decided to back out now, and try to talk to her again later. He turned to walk out, and as soon as he stepped into the hallway, the door slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing in the hall. Iolaus sighed, tear trickling down his cheek.  
  
"I'm really sorry Serena!" he whispered. He turned towards her door again and put his hand against it. "Please forgive me!" Then he left to go find Ephyclis.  
  
Harry and Draco were both sitting on the roof of the Leaky Cauldron, watching the hustle and bustle in Diagon Alley. The news Draco received about Cho and Serena hit him pretty hard. When he took flight, he was in the right state to head over to the Riddle Mansion and fight Caesar. If Harry hadn't followed him, he probably would be dead by now.  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry," Draco said, breaking the silence.  
  
"What for?" Harry asked, looking at his friend puzzled.  
  
"For going off like that!" Draco answered, not looking at Harry. "It's just that." But Draco couldn't finish.  
  
"Draco, I know that this came as a shock to you," Harry said consolingly. "But believe me, this was a shock for all of us!"  
  
"But Lucius!" Draco hissed. "He was working for Caesar all along! And he knew about the prophecy and he never told me!"  
  
He got up and walked over to the edge of the roof, and squatted down.  
  
"And why didn't Cho tell me?" he sniffed. Cho Chang was the only girl Draco ever loved. But winning her heart wasn't easy. Cho was in love with Harry when they were in Hogwarts. Harry had a huge crush on her then too. And he and Draco were arch nemesis back then.  
  
It was apparent that they were both thinking about Cho. Harry did used to have a big crush on her, but he got over her after their fifth year. She had gone on a date with Harry on Valentine's Day, but it turned out to be a disaster. She wanted to talk about her former boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, a subject that Harry wanted to forget. Cedric died during the third task of the TriWizard Tournament that was held at Hogwarts in Harry's fourth year. When they both grabbed the Tournament Cup together, they were transported to a graveyard. That was where Cedric was murdered. Voldemort had killed him, and had pretty much tortured Harry. That was also when Voldemort returned to power; by using Harry's blood and his father's bone, dug from the grave.  
  
Cho was very heartbroken about Cedric's death. In Harry's fifth year, he tried to avoid her as much as possible, because up to this day, he still blamed himself for Cedric's death. But Cho was the one who asked Harry out. As it turned out, she was asked by a lot of guys to go out with them. And Harry, at the time, was happy that she picked him over everyone. Cho was also jealous of Harry's close friendship with Hermione. She had caused a scene at the coffee shoppe in Hogsmeade that Valentine's Day. Cho walked out on Harry that day accusing him of using her to make Hermione jealous. That was also the last time he talked to her for a long time. But by the end of that school year, she was already going out with someone else; Ginny's ex-boyfriend.  
  
Draco had always been jealous of Harry. Harry had fame, fame that he didn't ask for. And friends who stood by him through thick and thin. He also knew of Cho, and that Harry had fancied her; and their row at the coffee shoppe had put a stop to it. Draco didn't have any interest in Cho until his sixth year in Hogwarts.  
  
Draco had stumbled upon a plot by his father and other Death eaters to attack Hogwarts. He heard Lucius say that they were going to attempt to murder Albus Dumbledore, the school Headmaster. Draco also heard that that the order was not from Voldemort. He was startled by this.  
  
"Voldemort didn't order this supposed attack?" he asked himself. "But why is father going to do something as foolish as to attack Professor Dumbledore? When the Dark Lord himself wasn't stupid enough to attack him head on?"  
  
The whole wizarding world knew that Albus Dumbledore was the only wizard that Voldemort ever feared. It would be quite foolish of him to try and attack Dumbledore, even if he had a whole army of Death eaters behind him.  
  
But Lucius Malfoy was foolish enough. Behind Lord Voldemort's back, he and a group of rogue Death eaters did attack Hogwarts. The surprised by the attack, the whole school managed to subdue the attackers. Draco was one of those that fought off the Death eaters, much to his father's chagrin. And although Harry was skeptical of his intentions, he had accepted his alliance. Draco was overwhelmed by it and vowed to himself that he will do his best to earn Harry's and his friends trusts and most of all, their friendship.  
  
Lucius managed to escape capture, while the rest of the Death eaters were thrown into Azkaban. But, during his escape, he kidnapped Cho. Nobody understood why he did it. Harry and Draco, along with Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Susan, went and rescued her. Lucius had taken her back to his own mansion. When Harry and Draco arrived at the mansion with their wands out, he put up a fight. He finally escaped by Disapparating, leaving Harry and Draco with injuries, serious enough to land them in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. From that day on, Lucius had disowned Draco, and thrown him out. Draco's mother was furious with him too. And much to his surprise, Ron and his family took him in.  
  
They found out about Cho's extreme healing powers when she went to the hospital wing. She had gone over to Harry and Draco, who were in beds next to each other. They were both asleep, with cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Hermione was sitting on the Harry's bed holding his hand, crying. Ron, Ginny, Neville, Susan, Fred, George, Parvati, and Padma were all around both beds. Cho's heart went out to Hermione. Then she looked at Draco. He helped save her. She's known about her powers but had never used it.  
  
"Now is a good a time as any," she said to herself. She went and stood between the two beds. She grabbed both Harry's and Draco's hands and held them there.  
  
"Cho? What." Hermione asked, perplexed. But Cho didn't answer her. She gasped and stood from the bed. A light was emanating from her arms down to her and the two boys' hands. Then the light had grown bigger surrounding her and touching both Harry and Draco. Everyone in the room stood back in awe and silence as they watched this unfold. Suddenly, as it had begun, it ended. Cho had fainted and fell on the floor. Ron ran up to her and picked her up and laid her on an empty bed. Everyone was murmuring their anxieties, while Ginny ran to get Madame Pomfrey from her office.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" said a voice. Everyone turned to look.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, running up to him and hugging him.  
  
"Whoa, Mione!" Harry laughed. "Easy there!"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Draco! You're alright too!" Hermione exclaimed again. Draco laughed.  
  
"Yes, I am!" he said. "Madame Pomfrey sure knows her stuff doesn't she?"  
  
"Er."  
  
"What?" Draco asked.  
  
"It wasn't her that healed you guys," Ron said from across the room. "It was Cho."  
  
"What?" Draco exclaimed getting up. He threw his blanket off of him and ran up to Cho's bed.  
  
"What do you mean 'she' healed us?" he asked Ron. "As in with magic?" Ron nodded his head, still with the stunned look on his face. Draco turned to look at Cho again and smiled.  
  
"Gosh, she's beautiful isn't she?" And without realizing what he had done, he bent down and kissed her on the lips.  
  
Before anyone else could react, Madame Pomfrey came running into the room with Ginny behind her. Everyone took turns telling her what happened. She was completely shocked. She checked Cho over and told everyone that she'll have to stay over night and rest. Then she went and checked over Harry and Draco. She was shaking her head, still in utter amazement that they have completely healed. She told them that they could go. Draco stayed behind and sat on the chair next to Cho's bed. He still couldn't believe that she healed him. But from that moment on, they had been inseparable.  
  
Draco was shunned by his fellow Slytherins for associating with Harry and his friends, and for falling in love with a Ravenclaw, Cho. Draco did not care. His new friends and new love made it all worthwhile.  
  
"I'M SURROUNDED BY INCOMPETENT FOOLS!" Lord Caesar screamed in his room. He knew that Strife and his men had been apprehended. He tried to kill them earlier but somehow he was blocked off. "DAMNED THAT WHITE MAGUS!"  
  
Lord Caesar figured out that somehow Harry had blocked him from killing his own people.  
  
"He's getting stronger by the minute!" he said nervously. "The girl need to reveal her powers soon! And the others as well!" He paced the room angrily. He knew that if he doesn't extract Serena's powers and add them to his own that he won't have a chance to win against Harry. He decided to take the matters in his own hands.  
  
"I will get the other chosen three myself!" he said to himself. "Maybe, if I use them as bait, Serena will have no choice but to reveal herself for the others' safety. And I can take her powers and her blood to beat the White Magus." He laughed icily. He walked over to the window and looked out into the gardens. He saw Iolaus and Ephyclis working with the others. He also noticed that they kept looking at each other but couldn't see their lips move.  
  
"Hmmm. I wonder." Lord Caesar said to himself again. Then an idea popped into his head. And, with a 'pop' he was gone.  
  
Iolaus was pulling out some weeds when he felt something. He stiffened and looked at his uncle nervously.  
  
"He's here!" he sent Ephyclis. Ephyclis stiffened too.  
  
"Gosh this is hard work!" he said loudly. Iolaus smiled at him gratefully.  
  
"Yeah, it is," Iolaus said. "But hey, it's good exercise!" Ephyclis gave him a "Are you kidding me?" look.  
  
"Iolaus, I'm too old to be exercising like this!" he told him, eyebrows raised. Iolaus laughed outloud.  
  
"Well, I see that you're having fun," a voice said from behind them. Iolaus and Ephyclis both turned around and bowed.  
  
"My lord," they said at the same time.  
  
"We didn't know that you were here," Ephyclis added, still bowed.  
  
"I just got here," Lord Caesar lied. "I heard laughter and decided to come out and see."  
  
"Sorry, my lord," Ephyclis said. "It won't happen again."  
  
"Oh no worries Ephyclis," Lord Caesar said. "I don't want you to think that you are not allowed laughter while working for me. I'm pleased that you're having fun while working."  
  
"Thank you my lord."  
  
"You're welcome," Lord Caesar told him. Then he turned to Iolaus.  
  
"Iolaus, I want the other children marked as soon as possible," he commanded. Iolaus stiffened again, but bowed to his lord before he could see the expression on his face.  
  
"Yes, my lord," Iolaus said, head bowed.  
  
"And put them to work out here," Lord Caesar continued. "Maybe the gardens will get done faster. Remember, no magic. Not they could do much now anyway." With that, he laughed icily. Iolaus and Ephyclis quickly glanced at each other.  
  
"As you wish my lord," they said, bowing again.  
  
"Good. Carry on." There was a 'pop', and then he was gone.  
  
Serena sat on her bed thinking.  
  
"What happened?" she asked herself. "Did I really do that? I mean, what was that I felt? Surely I was just angry! But that was just.weird!"  
  
She got up and walked to the window. She saw Iolaus and Ephyclis working out in the garden. She also Lord Caesar appear, talk to them, and then disappear. Her anger flared up. She wants to know what Caesar had planned for her. And he knew Harry. How? And what does it matter that she knew him? Is Caesar using her to get to Harry? Why not kidnap Sirius, Harry's son, instead? All these questions were running through her head. She doesn't know an answer to any of them.  
  
"And all those poor children!" she said angrily. "Damn that Iolaus! Why did he have to be one of them that destroyed those families!" She felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She was really starting to feel something for Iolaus. Deep down she felt that Iolaus was right. That he didn't want to help do all that. But she couldn't help getting angry. He was there when she was taken from her father. But, he also tried to make her comfortable, to make things easier to deal with. But now that she knew about the other children, things were more difficult to bear. She hated having mixed emotions. She wants to go home. Home to her father and everyone else that she cared about. Then her anger flared again.  
  
"It's all Caesar's fault!" she said. "He's the one to blame!" With that she walked back over to the bed and sat down. She let the tears flow, putting her face in her hands.  
  
"I have to do something!" she exclaimed. "But what?"  
  
Everyone was waiting in the kitchen for Padfoot, Moony, Hagrid, Krum, and Snape to return from Azkaban. They were all having tea and crumpets while talking about the days events. The children however, were huddled in the small corner breakfast nook immersed in their own conversation.  
  
"Has anyone figured out yet when we're going to go and get Serena?" Ronnie asked through mouthful of crumpets. Alanna gave him a disgusted look while Sirius shook his head at his friend.  
  
"No, not yet," Sirius sighed. "I wish they would hurry up though!"  
  
"Well, why don't we try to communicate with her?" Alanna said. Ronnie and Sirius both looked at her stunned. "What?"  
  
"Well, she hasn't controlled her telepathy yet, remember?" Ronnie pointed out, swallowing his food. "What if we did get through to her, but she gets overheard by HIM?"  
  
"Yeah, Alanna," Sirius agreed. "We don't want to make it harder for her."  
  
"But, we managed it!" Alanna argued. "I'm sure she'll figure out a way, especially if they said that she's that powerful!"  
  
"But Alanna," Sirius sighed. "SHE doesn't know that!"  
  
"Oh!" Alanna said regretfully. "You're right." She leaned back on her seat and took another sip of tea.  
  
"But there's gotta be something that we can do!" Ron said exasperatedly, leaning back also.  
  
"Well, we could do what Alanna said," Sirius told him. "We could try to communicate with her."  
  
"Don't you think that it's a bit risky?" Ron said alarmed, looking across the kitchen to the adults who were still talking amongst themselves.  
  
"Well, have you got any other ideas?" Sirius asked, getting annoyed. Ron shook his head in defeat.  
  
"Well, we can't very well do it in here, can we?" Alanna said getting up. "Why don't we go out to the gardens and try out there?"  
  
"Are you mad?" Ron said almost shouting. He clamped his hand to his mouth and looked over to the adults again to see if they heard him. When they kept talking to themselves, he took his hand off. "You know that they wouldn't let us outside on our own."  
  
"Ronnie's right, Alanna," Sirius agreed. "How about the library?"  
  
"Perfect!" Alanna said, smiling. "Now come on!" They all slid out of the nook and started for the door, when Molly called to them.  
  
"Where are you three going?" she asked. The three looked at each other before turning to their grandmother.  
  
"Uh, just to the library, Gramms," Sirius said. "There's a book I want to show them."  
  
"Oh alright then," Molly said. The adults continued with their conversation as the trio all let out a sigh of relief. They hurriedly exited the kitchen to head to the library. They were excited to make contact with Serena.  
  
"Harry?" Draco called. Harry turned to look at him.  
  
"Yeah?" he replied.  
  
"Were you mad when Cho and I started dating?" Draco asked him, without looking at him directly. Harry smiled.  
  
"Well, I was at first," Harry admitted. "But, when I saw how happy she was with you, I guess it went away. I was worried about your intentions towards her then though."  
  
Draco chuckled at that. He got up and walked over the edge of the roof where Harry was sitting, and sat down next to him.  
  
"Well, I guess that was understandable," he told him, clapping Harry on the shoulder. Harry laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so!" he said. "You weren't exactly an angel you know!"  
  
"Hey now!" Draco exclaimed laughing with him.  
  
"Hermione was there to comfort me though," Harry told him.  
  
"Yeah, she sure did!" Draco said mischievously. Harry laughed out loud. They talked about Cho and Hermione while watching the people at Diagon Alley go in and out of the different shops.  
  
"Hermione was good to forgive after all the terrible things I did to her," Draco told Harry. "Ron was a job though!"  
  
"Yeah, he was!" Harry chuckled. "But he got over it once you've proven yourself."  
  
"Well, I really wasn't happy being the bad guy you know," Draco said sadly. "If I could just go back in time and do things over with you three I would!"  
  
"I know you would, Draco," Harry assured him, clapping him on the shoulder. "But that's all in the past! We're all great friends now! A family!"  
  
"Yeah, we are!" Draco said, smiling. But then, his smile faded as he thought of Cho again. "She's the only girl I really loved you know?"  
  
Harry looked at him sadly. "I know Draco. And she really loved you too. She told me."  
  
Draco looked at him surprised. "She did?"  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, smiling. "She told me on graduation day." Draco felt the tears filling up his eyes.  
  
"I asked her to marry me then," he said. "And she said 'Yes'!" Harry laughed.  
  
"I know Draco! We were all there remember?" Draco blushed. He did remember.  
  
They were all standing outside of Hogwarts castle after the graduation ceremony. Harry and Hermione had gotten engaged a couple of months before to no one's surprise. They have gotten really close over the last couple of years. Draco and Cho had been serious about their relationship too. So had Ginny and Neville, and Ron and Susan. They were all talking about their years at Hogwarts when Cho turned on Draco.  
  
"And to think that I wouldn't want to be in the same room with you before!" she told him laughing. He blushed as everyone laughed too. But Draco wasn't offended. He knew what he was to them before: A SLIMY HORRIBLE GIT.  
  
"But now, you can't get enough of me, eh?" he said, kissing her on the lips. It was Cho's turn to blush. Then without warning, Draco got on one knee and took her hand. Everyone grew silent. Even the other people around the group. Cho was too stunned to say anything.  
  
"Cho, I know I wasn't the most desirable guy there was, but having you in my life changed all that," Draco said, looking her in the eyes, still on one knee. Then with his free hand, he reached into his robes pocket and pulled out a small black velvety box. He let go of Cho's hand just long enough to open the box and reveal a gold ring with a single marquee cut diamond on it. Cho let out a gasp, as did everyone else.  
  
"Cho Chang, I've never loved anyone as much as I love you," Draco said, nervously. "And now, I can't see myself living without you. Would you do me the honor of being my wife? Cho, will you marry me?"  
  
Everyone in the grounds had heard these words and along with Harry and his friends, waited with bated breath for Cho's response. Draco looked hopefully into Cho's eyes, which were filled with tears. Cho had a hand on her heart as she looked from Draco, to the ring and back at Draco.  
  
"Draco, as I said earlier. Before, I didn't want to be anywhere near you," Cho said, choking back tears. "But now, like you, I can't see my life without you!"  
  
Draco looked at her anxiously, a small smile forming on his lips.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, it would be my honor and pleasure to marry you!" Draco's mouth dropped open. He couldn't believe what he heard. Then, he slowly got up and pulled the ring out of the box. He handed the empty box over to Harry, who was grinning broadly at him. He turned back to Cho and grabbed her left hand lifting it to his lips and kissing it.  
  
"Cho, you don't know how much you have made me happy at this moment!" he said as he slipped the ring on her finger. Then he pulled her into a kiss. Everyone clapped and cheered the couple. 


End file.
